"Be Thou My Vision" (Old Irish: Rop tú mo baile or Rob tú mo bhoile) is a traditional hymn from Ireland. The most well known English version, with some minor variations, was translated by Eleanor Hull and published in 1912. In 1919, the lyrics were set to the tune of the Irish folk tune "Slane", to which the song is sung to this day, both in English and Irish. The song has often been attributed to the sixth-century Irish Christian poet Saint Dallan, though some scholars cite an eighth-century date.
Video Be Thou My Vision
History
The original Old Irish text, "Rop tú mo Baile" is often attributed to Saint Dallán Forgaill in the 6th century. The text had been a part of Irish monastic tradition for centuries before its setting to music. Dallán may have been inspired by the text of a 5th-century hymn written by Saint Patrick, known as "Saint Patrick's Breastplate" or "Saint Patrick's Lorica", which invokes the protection of God. Despite this traditional attribution, historians now date the text as having been written sometime between 950 and 1100. A 14th century manuscript attributed to Adhamh Ó Cianáin contains a handwritten copy of the poem in Middle Irish, and is held at the National Library of Ireland. A second manuscript is at the Royal Irish Academy, dating from about the 10th or 11th century.
The text of "Rop tú mo Baile"/"Be Thou My Vision" reflects aspects of life in Early Christian Ireland (c.400-800 AD). The prayer belongs to a type known as a lorica, a prayer for protection. The symbolic use of a battle-shield and a sword to invoke the power and protection of God draws on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:16-17), which refers to "the shield of faith" and "the sword of the Spirit". Such military symbolism was common in the poetry and hymnnology of Christian monasteries of the period due to the prevalence of clan warfare across Ireland.
The use of the folk-tune commonly known as Slane may also bear significance; it is named after the town of Slane (Irish: Baile Shláine) in County Meath, and it was here at Slane Hill in 433 that Saint Patrick defied a royal edict by the High King of Ireland, Lóegaire mac Néill. The king had decreed that he should be the first to light a bonfire at the Hill of Tara on Easter Eve to mark the start of the festival of Beltane, and that no other fire may be lit ahead of the royal bonfire; Patrick's defiance in lighting a bonfire on a neighbouring hill set Christianity in opposition to Celtic polytheism and asserted the Kingship of Christ over the rule of earthly kings. "Be Thou My Vision" makes additional reference to God as "King of the Seven Heavens" and the "High King of Heaven". This depiction of the Christian God as a chieftain or High King (Irish: Ard Rí) is a traditional representation in Irish literature; medieval Irish poetry typically used heroic imagery to cast God as a clan protector.
In 1905, "Rop tú mo Baile" was translated from Old Irish into English by Mary Elizabeth Byrne, M.A., in Ériu (the journal of the School of Irish Learning). The English text was first versified in 1912 by Eleanor Hull, president of the Irish Literary Society, and this is now the most common text used.
Maps Be Thou My Vision
Lyrics
The original texts of the now-called "Be Thou My Vision" are in Old Irish similar still in style to Modern Irish. The hymn has been translated into Modern Irish many times. The most popular is that by Aodh Ó Dúgain of Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Two verses of his translation were recorded by his granddaughter Moya Brennan - the first time any part of his text has been publicly recorded. Since then, those two verses have been recorded by many artists including Roma Downey and Aoife and Iona. These verses are very close translations to the first two of the Old Irish text above.
With Old Irish being the ancestor language of Modern Scottish Gaelic, the song was translated by Céitidh Mhoireasdan and published by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.Soills' Air Mo Smuain
Two variants of Eleanor Hull's 1912 English translation exist; one version, commonly used in Irish and Scottish hymnals (including the Hymnbooks of the Church of Scotland), fits the metre 10.10.10.10, while a paraphrased version that is used in English books (such as the New English Hymnal) is suitable to an anacrucial metre 10.11.11.11.
Other languages
- Bahasa Indonesia - "Dikau, Tuhan, Jadilah Impianku"
- Chinese - "?????"
- Dutch - "Wees Mijn Verlangen"
- French - "Qu'en toi je vive, Seigneur bien aimé"
- German - "Steh mir vor Augen"
- Greek - "???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ???????"
- Italian - "Sii la mia Visione"
- Korean - "? ?? ?? ?? ???"
- Nepali - "??? ???? ?????"
- Norwegian - "Deg å få skode"
- Polish - "On moim Panem"
- Portuguese - "Dono do Meu Coração"
- Spanish - "Oh Dios, Sé Mi Visión", "Oh Dios de mi alma, Sé Mi Visión"
- Swedish - "Närmare mig (Herre, du min klippa)"
- Thai - "?????????????????"
- Ukrainian - "???? ????, ????, ????? ?????"
- Welsh - "Bydd yn Welediad fy nghalon a'm byw"
Musical accompaniment
The hymn is sung to the melody "Slane", an Irish folk tune in 3
4 time, first published as "With My Love on the Road" in Patrick Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music and Songs in 1909. The tune is a more elemental distillation of earlier forms, such as "The Hielan's o' Scotland' and "By the Banks of the Bann," also compiled in Joyce (1909). The words of "Be Thou My Vision" were first combined with this tune in the Irish Church Hymnal in 1919. In some modern renditions the rhythm of "Slane" is adapted to 4
4.
Three more 20th century hymns have been set to the same tune. The first was "Lord of All Hopefulness" written by Jan Struther around 1931. The second was "Lord of Creation, to Thee be All Praise" written by J. C. Winslow and first published in 1961. The third was a popular wedding hymn, "God, In the Planning and Purpose of Life", written by John Bell and Graham Maule and first appearing in publication in 1989.
Gå inte förbi ("Don't Walk Past") is a duet-single set to the tune, recorded by Swedish singer Peter Jöback and Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø and written by Ulf Schagerman. Jöback sings the lyrics in Swedish while Sissel sings in Norwegian. It was released as a single in 2003 and at an extended reissue of Jöback's Christmas album Jag kommer hem igen till jul. It was a hit in Norway and Sweden in the Christmas time of 2003 and a music video directed by Mikadelica was made in Denmark. Norwegian newspaper VG gave it 4 out of 6.
Modern renditions
- Michael Card on Starkindler
- Eden's Bridge - on Celtic Worship
- Jars of Clay - on WOW Worship: Yellow
- Rebecca St. James - on Pray
- Mormon Tabernacle Choir - on Heavensong
- Moya Brennan - on Whisper to the Wild Water
- Ginny Owens - on Without Condition
- Pedro the Lion - on The Only Reason I Feel Secure
- Rend Collective - on Homemade Worship by Handmade People
- Roma Downey & Aoife Ní Fhearraigh - on An Irish Holiday
- The Martins - on Glorify Edify Testify
- Van Morrison - on Hymns to the Silence
- Bob Chilcott's arrangement for SATB choir
- Ascend the Hill - on "Take the World, but Give Me Jesus"
- Kings Kaleidoscope - LIVE IN COLOUR
- Audrey Assad - Inheritance
References
See also
- Saint Patrick's Breastplate
External links
- Rop tú mo baile (Original Irish Version)
- Rop tú mo baile - pronunciation - soundfile by Dennis King
- CPDL.org Article
- Free scores of "Be Thou My Vision" in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Lyrics, History and MIDI at CyberHymnal
- Utah Baroque Ensemble Version with Lyrics at Your-Church.com
- Be Thou My Vision tune information and sheet music on TradTune.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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