Be Thou My Vision

"Be Thou My Vision"
Song

Be Thou My Vision (Template:Lang-ga) is a traditional Christian hymn, which can be traced to Ireland but is now sung in English-speaking churches around the world.

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.

Lyrics

Original Text

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.

English Translation

by Mary Byrne, 1905

Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart

None other is aught but the King of the seven heavens.

Be thou my meditation by day and night.

May it be thou that I behold even in my sleep.

Be thou my speech, be thou my understanding.

Be thou with me, be I with thee

Be thou my father, be I thy son.

Mayst thou be mine, may I be thine.

Be thou my battle-shield, be thou my sword.

Be thou my dignity, be thou my delight.

Be thou my shelter, be thou my stronghold.

Mayst thou raise me up to the company of the angels.

Be thou every good to my body and soul.

Be thou my kingdom in heaven and on earth.

Be thou solely chief love of my heart.

Let there be none other, O high King of Heaven.

Till I am able to pass into thy hands,

My treasure, my beloved through the greatness of thy love

Be thou alone my noble and wondrous estate.

I seek not men nor lifeless wealth.

Be thou the constant guardian of every possession and every life.

For our corrupt desires are dead at the mere sight of thee.

Thy love in my soul and in my heart --

Grant this to me, O King of the seven heavens.

O King of the seven heavens grant me this --

Thy love to be in my heart and in my soul.

With the King of all, with him after victory won by piety,

May I be in the kingdom of heaven O brightness of the son.

Beloved Father, hear, hear my lamentations.

Timely is the cry of woe of this miserable wretch.

O heart of my heart, whatever befall me,

O ruler of all, be thou my vision.

English Versification

by Eleanor Hull, 1912

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, 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.

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 time 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 oíche ’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.

Modern Scottish Gaelic Translation

With Old Irish being an ancestor language of Modern Scottish Gaelic, the song was translated by Céitidh Mhoireasdan and publish by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Soills’ Air Mo Smuain

Dèan dhòmh-sa tuigse,

Cuir soils’ air mo smuain;

Dh’iarrainn gur Tu

Bhiodh ’gam stiùreadh gach uair;

Làmh rium ’s an oidhche

Is romhan ’s an tràth,

Réidh rium ’sa mhadainn

Agus glèidh mi tro’n latha.

Ceartas do m’ bhriathran

Agus fìrinn do m’ bheul,

Thusa toirt iùil dhomh

’S mi dlùth riut, a Dhè.

Athair, thoir gràdh dhomh,

Gabh mis’ thugad fhéin;

Cum mi ri d’ thaobh

Is bi daonnan ’nam chrè.

Dìon mi, a Thighearna,

Ri mo chliathaich ’s gach feachd;

Cum mi fo d’ sgiath

’S thoir dhomh misneachd is neart,

Fasgadh do m’ anam

Is mi ri d’uchd dlùth;

Treòraich mi dhachaigh,

Dhè chumhachdaich Thu.

Beartas cha’n fhiach leam;

No miann chlann ’nan daoin’,

Thusa na m’ fhianais

Fad làithean mo shaogh’il

Thusa, Dhè ghràsmhoir,

A-mhain na mo chrìdh’,

Le blaths is gràdh sìorraidh,

Mo thighearna ’s mo Rìgh.

Other languages

• Norwegian - Deg å få skode
• Dutch - Wees Mijn Verlangen
• Spanish - Oh Dios, Sé Mi Visión or Oh Dios de mi alma, Sé Mi Visión
• French - Qu'en toi je vive, Seigneur bien aimé
• German - Steh mir vor Augen
• A Swedish ballad titled Gå inte förbi was recorded by Sissel Kyrkjebø and Peter Jöback in 2003 using the melody 'Slane' (the usual melody for Be Thou My Vision) but the lyrics have little to do with the Irish text.

Tune

The tune Slane

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. The two were first combined by Welsh composer David Evans in the 1927 edition of the Church of Scotland's Church Hymnary.

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

External links

• Rop tú mo baile (Original Irish Version)
• Rop tú mo baile - pronunciation - soundfile by Dennis King
• CPDL.org Article
• Lyrics, History and MIDI on The Cyber Hymnal
• Utah Baroque Ensemble Version with Lyrics at Your-Church.com
• Christianity Today Library article with text of Mary Byrne's English translation
• Tune information and sheet music on TradTune.com