I should be asleep…
I’ve been trying to find a version of this hymn that I like – there’s many to choose from. It was one of my favourites when I was little, and I still love it!
“Be Thou My Vision” is from an original Irish text, 6th century, or possibly 8th century… here’s a version by Maire Brennan (Enya’s older sister), sung in (modern) Irish –
It was translated by Eleanor Hull in 1912 – this is the closest version to the one I remember singing (I remember the first line of the third verse as “Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight…” and the last verse as “High King of Heaven, O Heaven’s bright Sun, Grant me its joys after victory is won…”)
- 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, 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.
- 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.
Here’s a more modern version, by Audrey Assad –
1000 Fields of Roses 