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 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
This Irish Poem was translated into English by Mary Elizabeth Byrne, a scholar in Dublin, Ireland. Eleanor Hull of Manchester, England, another scholar, took the translation and made it into verses with rhyme and meter. It was subsequently set to a traditional Irish folk song, “Slane,” which was named for an area in Ireland where St. Patrick reportedly challenged local Druids with the gospel.
