Niurt Dé dom luamaracht,
Cumachta Dé dom chumgabail,
Ciall Dé domm imthús,

Rosc Dé dom reimcíse,
Cluas Dé dom éstecht,
Briathar Dé dom eriabrai,

Lám Dé domm imdegail,
Intech Dé dom remthechtas,
Sciath Dé dom dítin,
Sochraite Dé domm anucul,
Ar intledaib demna,
Ar aslaigthib dualche,

Ar irnechtaib aicnid,

Ar cech ǹduine mídús thrastard dam,

I céin ocus in ocus,

I n-uathed ocus hi sochaide.

6.

Tocuirius etrum thra na huile

nert so,

Fri cech nert n-amnas n

étrócar,

Fristí dom churp ocus domm anmain,

Fri tinchetla saibfáthe,

Fri dubrechtu gentliuchta,

VOL. II.

The force of Fire,

The flashing of Lightning,
The velocity of Wind,
The depth of the Sea,
The stability of the Earth,

The hardness of Rocks.

5.

I bind to myself to-day

The power of God to guide me,
The might of God to uphold me,
The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The word of God to give me
speech,

The hand of God to protect me,
The way of God to prevent me,
The shield of God to shelter me,
The host of God to defend me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the temptations of
vices,

Against the lusts of nature,
Against every man who medi-
tates injury to me,

Whether far or near,
With few or with many.

nobiscum.

a From Lib. Hymnorum (MS. 7th century, acc. to Ussher, Trin. Coll., Dublin), as printed in Stokes's Goidelica, pp. 150, 151, 2nd ed., 1872. The Irish was first published by Dr. Petrie, Essay on Tara, pp. 57-67 (Trans. Royal Irish. Soc., vol. xviii.). The translation is from Dr. Todd (S. Patrick, pp. 426-429).

Patraicc do rone inn immun sa. In aimseir Loegaire MeicNeil do rigned. Fat a denma hautemdia diden co na manchaib ar naimdib in bais ro batar in etarnid ar na cleircheib. Ocus is luirech hirse inso fri him degail cuirp ocus anma ar demnaib ocus duinib ocus dualchib. Cech duine nos geba cech dia co ninnithemleir i n-dia ni thairisfet demna fri a gnuis. Bid ditin do ar cech neim ocus format. Bid comna do fri dianbas. Bid lurech dia anmain iar n-a etsecht. Patraicc ro chan so in tan do rata na hetarnaidi ar a chinn o Loegaire, na digsed do silad chreitme co Temraig; conid annsinn at chessa fiadlucht na n-etarnade comtis aige alta, ocus iarroe i n-an-diaid i Benen. Ocus Fath Fiada a hainm.

The legend referred to is mentioned in Todd, P. 424, from the Life of S. Patrick in the Book of Armagh.

b Inserted by Mr. Stokes from a second copy of the Hymn in Bodl. Rawl. B. 512. e Patriarchs, Stokes.

d Leg. mídúthrastar, Stokes.

ei.e. Christ when I am in the fort (at

Patrick composed this hymn. In the time of Loegaire son of Nial it was composed. The cause of its composition was to protect himself and his monks against the enemies unto death, who were in ambush against the clergy. And this is a religious armour to protect body and soul against demons and men and vices. Every person who sings it every day with all his attention on God, shall not have demons appearing to his face. It will be a protection to him against every poison and envy. It will be a safeguard to him against sudden death. It will be an armour to his soul after his death. Patrick sang this at the time that the snares were set for him by Loegaire, that he might not come to propagate the faith to Temur; so that it appeared to those who were lying in ambush that they were wild deer, and a fawn after them, that is, Benén [Benignus]. And Feth Fiadha [= The Instruction of the Deer, Petrie, but Stokes renders it Guard's cry] is its name.

home), Christ when I am in the chariot-seat (travelling by land), Christ in the poop (travelling by water). See Stokes, Irish Glosses (580), p. 81." (Todd, ad loc.) The passage is translated differently in Dr. Petrie's Essay. And Mr. Stokes in his Goidelica translates it "Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height."