Living

Blessing of the Smooring

by Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic) traditional; collected in the Highlands and Islands 1855–1899

Translated by Alexander Carmichael (1900) · From Carmina Gadelica, vol. I (1900): Labour

Living

I am smooring the fire
As the Son of Mary would smoor;
Blest be the house, blest be the fire,
Blest be the people all.

Who are those down on the floor?
John and Peter and Paul.
On whom is the vigil to-night?
On the fair gentle Mary and on her Son.

The mouth of God said,
The angel of God spake,
An angel in the door of the house,
To guard and to keep us all
Till comes daylight to-morrow.

Oh! may the angels of the Holy One of God
Environ me all this night,
Oh! may the angels of the Anointed One of God
Encompass me from harm and from evil,
Oh! encompass me from harm this night.

✦ ✦ ✦

Gaelic: Beannachd Smalaidh. Carmina Gadelica I, no. 86, Labour.

MLA

Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic). “Blessing of the Smooring.” Translated by Alexander Carmichael. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-scottish-gaelic/85/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic). “Blessing of the Smooring.” Translated by Alexander Carmichael. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-scottish-gaelic/85/.

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