Be Thou My Vision
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| "Be Thou My Vision" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Song | ||
| Published | 1905 | |
| Genre | Hymn | |
| Language | Old Irish Modern Irish English |
|
| Writer | Saint Dallan Forgaill, 6th Century | |
Be Thou My Vision (Irish: Bí Thusa 'mo Shúile) is a traditional Christian hymn, which can be traced to Ireland but is now sung in English-speaking churches around the world.
Contents |
[edit] History
The original Old Irish text, Rop tú mo Baile is often attributed to Dallan Forgaill in the 6th Century. The text had been a part of Irish monastic tradition for centuries before its setting to the tune, therefore, before it became an actual hymn. It was translated from Old Irish into English by Mary E. Byrne, M.A., in Ériu (the journal of the School of Irish Learning), in 1905. The English text was first versified by Eleanor H. Hull, in 1912, and is now the most common text used.[1]
[edit] Lyrics
[edit] Original Text
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The original texts of the now-called Be Thou My Vision are in Old Irish, similar still in style to modern Irish.
- Rop tú mo baile, a Choimdiu cride:
- ní ní nech aile acht Rí secht nime.
- Rop tú mo scrútain i l-ló 's i n-aidche;
- rop tú ad-chëar im chotlud caidche.
- Rop tú mo labra, rop tú mo thuicsiu;
- rop tussu dam-sa, rob misse duit-siu.
- Rop tussu m'athair, rob mé do mac-su;
- rop tussu lem-sa, rob misse lat-su.
- Rop tú mo chathscíath, rop tú mo chlaideb;
- rop tussu m'ordan, rop tussu m'airer.
- Rop tú mo dítiu, rop tú mo daingen;
- rop tú nom-thocba i n-áentaid n-aingel.
- Rop tú cech maithius dom churp, dom anmain;
- rop tú mo flaithius i n-nim 's i talmain.
- Rop tussu t' áenur sainserc mo chride;
- ní rop nech aile acht Airdrí nime.
- Co talla forum, ré n-dul it láma,
- mo chuit, mo chotlud, ar méit do gráda.
- Rop tussu t' áenur m' urrann úais amra:
- ní chuinngim daíne ná maíne marba.
- Rop amlaid dínsiur cech sel, cech sáegul,
- mar marb oc brénad, ar t' fégad t' áenur.
- Do serc im anmain, do grád im chride,
- tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime.
- Tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime,
- do serc im anmain, do grád im chride.
- Go Ríg na n-uile rís íar m-búaid léire;
- ro béo i flaith nime i n-gile gréine
- A Athair inmain, cluinte mo núall-sa:
- mithig (mo-núarán!) lasin trúagán trúag-sa.
- A Chríst mo chride, cip ed dom-aire,
- a Flaith na n-uile, rop tú mo baile.
[edit] English Translation
Be Thou My Vision has become a quintessential hymn in English-speaking churches and is often sung around St. Patrick's Day. Interestingly, although written as a Catholic hymn, it is now sung widely in Protestant churches throughout the world.
- Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
- Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
- Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
- Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
- Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
- I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
- Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
- Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
- Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
- Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
- Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
- Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
- Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
- Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
- Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
- High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
- High King of Heaven, my victory won,
- May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
- Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
- Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
[edit] Modern Irish Translations
The hymn has been translated into Irish many times. The most popular of that by Aodh Ó Dúgain of Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Two verses of his translation were recorded by his grand-daughter Moya Brennan; the first any part of his text has been publicly available. Since then, those two verses have been recorded by dozens of artists including Roma Downey & Aoife and Iona.
These verses are very close translations to the first two of the Old Irish text above.
- Bí Thusa 'mo shúile a Rí mhór na ndúil
- Líon thusa mo bheatha mo chéadfaí ‘s mo stuaim
- Bí thusa i m'aigne gach oiche ‘s gach lá
- Im chodladh no im dhúiseacht, líon mé le do ghrá
- Bí thusa 'mo threorú I mbriathar 's i mbeart
- Fan thusa go deo liom is coinnigh mé ceart
- Glac cúram mar Athair, is éist le mo ghuí
- Is tabhair domsa áit cónaí istigh i do chroí
[edit] Other languages
A Swedish translation Gå inte förbi was recorded by Sissel Kyrkjebø and Peter Jöback in 2003.
[edit] Tune
The music is the Irish folk song, Slane, which is about Slane Hill where in A.D. 433 St. Patrick defied the pagan High King Lóegaire of Tara by lighting candles on Easter Eve. Besides this general connection to Christianity, the folk song has little prior connection to the text.
[edit] Notable Recordings
- Moya Brennan – on Whisper to the Wild Water.
- Van Morrison – on Hymns to the Silence.
- Pedro the Lion – on The Only Reason I Feel Secure.
- Roma Downey & Aoife Ní Fhearraigh - on An Irish Holiday
[edit] Trivia
- The hymn is the anthem of Delbarton School, a Benedictine school in Northern New Jersey and of St Mary's Diocesan School in New Zealand.
[edit] References
- ^ "The New Methodist Hymn Book Illustrated", John Telford (Epworth Press, London, 1934): This old Irish poem was translated by Mary E. Byrne M.A. of the University of Ireland, an Irish Research worker to the Board of Intermediate Education. It was versified by Miss Eleanor Henrietta Hull, founder of the Irish Text Society, its secretary in 1899 and sometimes President of the Irish Literary Society of London and author of books on Ireland.
