Be Thou my vision - Dallan Forgaill (attrib.), Mary E. Byrne (trans.), Eleanor H. Hull (versed), & Margaret Oberst (music)

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 26 October 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

LORD, YOU-rt CONTROL HEART, BECOME MY VISION.
ONLY YOU-rt MY EVERYTHING.
DURING DAY OR NIGHT, MY BEST THINKING ABOUT YOU-rt.
AWAKE OR ASLEEP, YOUR-rt LIGHT GO-WITH ME.

BECOME MY WISDOM, AND YOU-rt MY TRUE WORD.
PRAY ME AND YOU-rt ALWAYS TOGETHER, LORD.
YOU-rt MY GREAT HEAVENLY-FATHER, ME YOUR-rt TRUE-BIZ SON.
YOU-rt INSIDE-SELF ME, AND ME INSIDE YOU-rt.

BECOME MY SHIELD AND SWORD FIGHT EVIL.
BECOME MY DIGNITY AND MY DELIGHT.
YOUR-rt SHELTER PROTECT MY SOUL. YOU-rt MY HIGH TOWER.
LIFT-UP ME TO HEAVEN, MY SUPREME POWER.

RICH, ME DON'T-CARE. PEOPLE PRAISE ME, NOTHING-TO-IT.
CHERISH YOU-rt, ANCESTOR PASS-DOWN-TO TEACH ME.
YOU-rt, ONLY YOU-rt, NUMBER-ONE INSIDE-SELF HEART.
ADVANCED KING HEAVEN, ME CHERISH YOU-rt.

ADVANCED KING HEAVEN, HAPPEN ME WIN,
PRAY+ ME ARRIVE HEAVEN JOYFUL, SEE HEAVEN SUN BRIGHT.
CENTER MY HEART, DOESN'T-MATTER HAPPEN,
STILL YOU-rt MY VISION. YOU-rt RULE (2h)#ALL.


Notes: YOU - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

VISION - (2h)lat.SEE.

AWAKE - (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs up, are held framing the eyes.

LIGHT - (2h)[O^], POs away, FOs up, open to (2h)[5], while separating. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Light - 1.

GO-WITH - (2h)[A] press palms together and move forward.

HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH is held against forehead, NDH close to but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards. HEAVEN may be added to this. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Heavenly Father - 1.

TRUE-BIZ - TRUE + (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, DH brushes from side to side across NDH wrist.

INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.

SHIELD - [S] is held as if holding shield and FT of [1] traces a circle where the shield would be.

SWORD - (2h)[S], NDH acts as scabbard (sword holder) and DH pulls out sword.

EVIL - (2h)[3], wg while moving repeatedly > forehead. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Satan.

DIGNITY - PROUD.

DELIGHT - THRILL.

SHELTER - HOUSE.

TOWER - (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs away, both hands rise to outline tower.

LIFT-UP - (2h)[B], PO down are held high and swoop down while supinating and then rise up again as if helping something mature and the hands continue up and FTs are directed > Heaven.

SUPREME - (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.

NOTHING-TO-IT - (2h)[F], POs away, FOs up, hands move slightly and symetrically from side to side.

CHERISH - (2h)[5:], hold FTs by the sides of the chin and move down while maintaining contact and closing to (2h)[S].

NUMBER-ONE - [1], PO > signer, FO > NDS, hand is held at eye level and moves rapidly from NDS to DS.

ADVANCED - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards arcing towards the signer. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Exalted.

(2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

Lyrics:

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.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a musical setting of these lyrics (without words), go to Be Thou my Vision.

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