An Phaidir Gheal - The Bright Prayer

Guardian Angel

A prayer similar to this, the White Pater Noster, is found in Medieval literature

On going to sleep, imagine that it is the sleep of death, and that you will wake on the Day of Judgment and say:

Luím-se le Dia,
Go luí Dia liom!
Scáth Dé os mo chiann,
Cros na-aingeal faoi chom.

Cá luífidh tú anocht?
Idir Muire is a Mac,
idir Bríd is a brat,
idir Colmcille is a sciath,
idir Dhia is a lamh dheas.

Cá n-éireoidh tú amárach?
Éireoidh le Pádraig.
Cé hiad ar ár n-aghaidh?
Dhá chéad aingeal.
Cé hiad in ár ndiaidh?
An oiread seo eile de mhuintir Dé.

Druid na dúin faoi Ifreann,
is oscail geata Flaithhis Dé
lig an tsoilse mhór amach,
is an t-anam trua isteach.
Ó a Dhia déan trócaire orainn!
A Mhic na hÓighe go bhfaighe ár n-anam!

 I lie with God
May He lie with me.
God's shade above me,
An angel-girdle around my waiste.

Where will you lie tonight?
Between Mary and her Son
between Bridget and her cloak
between Colm Cille and his shield
between God and His right hand.

Where will you rise tomorrow?
I will rise with Patrick.
Who are those before us?
Two hundred angels.
Who are those behind us?
The rest of God's people.

Close the ramparts on Hell
and open God's heavenly gate.
Let the great light out,
let the wretched soul in.
God have mercy upon us.
Son of the Virgin, receive our souls!

Tá paidir a bhfuil cosúlacht aici léi seo, The White Pater Noster, le fáil sa MheánBhéarla.
Ad dul a chodladh duit smaoinigh gurb é coladh an bháis é agus go musclóidh tú Lá an tSléibhe.

IrishPage.com 2002
Courtesy of: An Duanaire, 1981
Translated by Thomas Kinsella
Background Music: rj26.mid

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