Religion

St. Patrick's Hymn

by Anonymous (Old Irish) c. 8th–12th century

Translated by George Sigerson (1907) · From Bards of the Gael and Gall (1907)

Religion

I bind me to-day on the Triune a call
With faith on the Trinity — Unity — God over all.

I bind me the might of Christ's birth and baptizing,
His death on the Cross, His grave, His uprising,
His homeward ascent, the power supernal
Of His coming for judgment eternal.
I bind me the might of the Seraphim's love,
The angels' obedience, the hope of arising
To guerdon above:
The prayers of the Fathers, prophetical teachings,
The virtue of virgins, apostolical preachings
The acts of the True;
I bind to me, too,
Heaven's dower, sun's brightness,
Fire's power, snow's whiteness,
Winds rushing, lightning's motion,
Earth's stability, rock's solidity,
Depths of Ocean.

I bind me to-day
God's might to direct me,
God's power to protect me,
God's wisdom for learning,
God's eye for discerning,
God's ear for my hearing,
God's word for my clearing,
God's hand for my cover,
God's path to pass over,
God's buckler to guard me,
God's army to ward me
Against snares of the devils,
Against vice's temptations,
Against wrong inclinations,
Against men who plot evils
To hurt me anew,
Anear or afar, with many or few.

I have set all these powers around me,
Against danger and dole
Of all the foe-powers that would wound me
In body and soul;
Against each incantation
By false prophets breathen,
Against black legislation —
The laws of the heathen,
Against idolatry's wares, and heretical snares,
Against spells of the women, smiths, druids, the whole
Of that knowledge which blindeth the soul.

Christ keep me to-day
Against poison and burn,
Against drowning and wounding,
Until I may earn
The guerdon abounding.
Christ near,
Christ here,

Christ be with me
Christ beneath me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ be o'er me,
Christ before me,
Christ on the left and the right,
Christ hither and thither,
Christ in the sight
Of each eye that shall seek me,
Christ in each ear that shall hear,
Christ in each mouth that shall speak me,
Christ not the less,
In each heart I address.

I bind me to-day on the Triune the call
With faith, on the Trinity — Unity — God over all.

Christi est salus

Christi est salus
Salus tua, Domine, sit semper nobiscum!

MLA

Anonymous (Old Irish). “St. Patrick's Hymn.” Translated by George Sigerson. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/191/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Old Irish). “St. Patrick's Hymn.” Translated by George Sigerson. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/191/.

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