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Text:Be Thou My Vision
Author (attributed to):Dallan Forgaill
Translator (from ancient Irish):Mary E. Byrne
Versifier:Eleanor H. Hull
Tune:SLANE
Media:MIDI file

484. Be Thou My Vision

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

Text Information
First Line: Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Title: Be Thou My Vision
Ancient Irish Title: Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride
Author (attributed to): Dallan Forgaill (8th century)
Translator (from ancient Irish): Mary E. Byrne
Versifier: Eleanor H. Hull (1912, alt.)
Language: English
Source: Eriú, Journal of the School of Irish Learning, 1905
Copyright: Public Domain
Notes: Slane Hill is about ten miles from Tara in County Meath. It was on Slane Hill around 433 AD that St. Patrick defied a royal edict by lighting candles on Easter Eve. High King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one could light a fire before Logaire began the pagan spring festival by lighting a fire on Tara Hill. Logaire was so impressed by Patrick's devotion that, despite his defiance (or perhaps because of it), he let him continue his missionary work. The rest is history.
Tune Information
Name: SLANE
Incipit: 11216 55611 23222
Key: E♭ Major
Source: 8th Century Gaelic
Copyright: Public Domain



Media
Adobe Acrobat image: Adobe Acrobat image
(Cyber Hymnal)
MIDI file: MIDI File
(Cyber Hymnal)
Noteworthy Composer score: Noteworthy Composer score
(Cyber Hymnal)
XML score: XML score
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

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