Be Thou My Vision

**Be Thou My Vision** (Old Irish: _Rop tú mo baile_ or _Rob tú mo bhoile_) is a Christian hymn from ancient Ireland, which is believed to have been written in the 6th century during the Early Middle Ages, around two centuries after Christianity became Roman Empire's state religion.

## Overview

It is said that the hymn's lyrics came from a Middle Irish poem written by Christian Irish poet Dallán Forgaill, a saint respected by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church (feast: 29 January). The most popular English version was translated in 1905 by Irish linguist Mary Elizabeth Byrne, later published by Eleanor Hull in 1912. It has been one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom (UK) since then.

### Old Irish original

Rop tú mo baile, a Choimdiu cride:

ní ní nech aile acht Rí secht nime.

Rop tú mo scrútain i l-ló 's i n-aidche;

rop tú ad-chëar im chotlud caidche.

Rop tú mo labra, rop tú mo thuicsiu;

rop tussu dam-sa, rob misse duit-siu.

Rop tussu m'athair, rob mé do mac-su;

rop tussu lem-sa, rob misse lat-su.

Rop tú mo chathscíath, rop tú mo chlaideb;

rop tussu m'ordan, rop tussu m'airer.

Rop tú mo dítiu, rop tú mo daingen;

rop tú nom-thocba i n-áentaid n-aingel.

Rop tú cech maithius dom churp, dom anmain;

rop tú mo flaithius i n-nim 's i talmain.

Rop tussu t' áenur sainserc mo chride;

ní rop nech aile acht Airdrí nime.

Co talla forum, ré n-dul it láma,

mo chuit, mo chotlud, ar méit do gráda.

Rop tussu t' áenur m' urrann úais amra:

ní chuinngim daíne ná maíne marba.

Rop amlaid dínsiur cech sel, cech sáegul,

mar marb oc brénad, ar t' fégad t' áenur.

Do serc im anmain, do grád im chride,

tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime.

Tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime,

do serc im anmain, do grád im chride.

Go Ríg na n-uile rís íar m-búaid léire;

ro béo i flaith nime i n-gile gréine

A Athair inmain, cluinte mo núall-sa:

mithig (mo-núarán!) lasin trúagán trúag-sa.

A Chríst mo chride, cip ed dom-aire,

a Flaith na n-uile, rop tú mo baile.

### Mary Byrne's 1905 translation

Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart

None other is aught but the King of the seven heavens.

Be thou my meditation by day and night.

May it be thou that I behold ever in my sleep.

Be thou my speech, be thou my understanding.

Be thou with me, be I with thee

Be thou my father, be I thy son.

Mayst thou be mine, may I be thine.

Be thou my battle-shield, be thou my sword.

Be thou my dignity, be thou my delight.

Be thou my shelter, be thou my stronghold.

Mayst thou raise me up to the company of the angels.

Be thou every good to my body and soul.

Be thou my kingdom in heaven and on earth.

Be thou solely chief love of my heart.

Let there be none other, O high King of Heaven.

Till I am able to pass into thy hands,

My treasure, my beloved through the greatness of thy love

Be thou alone my noble and wondrous estate.

I seek not men nor lifeless wealth.

Be thou the constant guardian of every possession and every life.

For our corrupt desires are dead at the mere sight of thee.

Thy love in my soul and in my heart –

Grant this to me, O King of the seven heavens.

O King of the seven heavens grant me this –

Thy love to be in my heart and in my soul.

With the King of all, with him after victory won by piety,

May I be in the kingdom of heaven, O brightness of the sun.

Beloved Father, hear, hear my lamentations.

Timely is the cry of woe of this miserable wretch.

O heart of my heart, whatever befall me,

O ruler of all, be thou my vision.

### Eleanor Hull's 1912 translation

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 Tow’r:

Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

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 Heav’n’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

(The English Methodist version from 1964 omits verse 3.)

## Hymn name in other languages

- Chinese: 成為我異象
- Danish: Herre, at se dig
- Dutch: Wees Mijn Verlangen
- Esperanto: Donu vizion de Vi, Di-Sinjor
- Finnish: Silmäni aukaise, Jumalani
- French: Qu'en toi je vive, Seigneur bien aimé
- German: Steh mir vor Augen
- Greek: Γίνε όραμα μου Θεέ της καρδίας
- Hungarian: Légy te menedékem
- Indonesian: Kaulah, ya Tuhan, Surya Hidupku or Dikau, Tuhan, Jadilah Impianku
- Italian: Sii la mia Visione
- Japanese: きみはわれのまぼろし, こころみの世にあれど
- Korean: 내 맘의 주여 소망 되소서
- Nepali: होऊ मेरो दर्शन
- Norwegian: Deg å få skode
- Polish: On moim Panem
- Portuguese: Sê minha vida, ó Deus de Poder
- Spanish: Oh Dios, Sé Mi Visión, Oh Dios de mi alma, Sé Mi Visión
- Swedish: Närmare mig (Herre, du min klippa)
- Thai: โอ้เจ้าแห่งดวงจิต
- Ukrainian: Будь мені, Боже, метою життя
- Welsh: Bydd yn Welediad fy nghalon a'm byw
- Romanian: Fii a mea lumină
- Czech: Buď mojí nadějí

## Related pages

- Middle Ages
- Church music
- _Amazing Grace_
- Christian music
- Gregorian chant
- History of Christianity

## Infobox (musical composition)

- **name**: Be Thou My Vision
- **image**: File:Be Thou My Vision, first hymn setting in "Church Hymnal with Accompanying Tunes" (1919).jpg
- **native name lang**: sga
- **genre**: Hymn
- **meter**: 10.10.10.10
- **melody**: _Slane_ (trad. Irish)
- **published**: 6th or 8th century Anno Domini, AD (trans. 1912)
- **misc**: Translation, Translations into English language, English, Irish language, Modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic.