CARMINA GADELICA

Ortha nan Gaidheal

THE OCEAN BLESSING

O Thou who pervadest the heights,

Imprint on us Thy gracious blessing,

Carry us over the surface of the sea,

Carry us safely to a haven of peace,

Bless our boatmen and our boat,

Bless our anchors and our oars,

Each stay and halyard and traveller,

Our mainsails to our tall masts

Keep, O King of the elements, in their place

That we may return home in peace;

I myself will sit down at the helm,

It is God's own Son who will give me guidance,

As He gave to Columba the mild

What time he set stay to sails.

Mary, Bride, Michael, Paul,

Peter, Gabriel, John of love,

Pour ye down from above the dew

That would make our faith to grow,

Establish ye us in the Rock of rocks,

In every law that love exhibits,

That we may reach the land of glory,

Where peace and love and mercy reign,

All vouchsafed to us through grace;

Never shall the canker worm get near us,

We shall there be safe for ever,

We shall not be in the bonds of death

Though we are of the seed of Adam.

On the Feast Day of Michael, the Feast Day of Martin,

The Feast Day of Andrew, band of mercy,

The Feast Day of Bride, day of my choice,

Cast ye the serpent into the ocean,

So that the sea may swallow her up;

On the Feast Day of Patrick, day of power,

Reveal to us the storm from the north,

Quell its wrath and blunt its fury,

Lessen its fierceness, kill its cold.

On the Day of the Three Kings on high,

Subdue to us the crest of the waves,

On Beltane Day give us the dew,

On John's Day the gentle wind,

The Day of Mary the great of fame,

Ward off us the storm from the west;

Each day and night, storm and calm,

Be Thou with us, O Chief of chiefs,

Be Thou Thyself to us a compass-chart,

Be Thine hand on the helm of our rudder,

Thine own hand,

Thou God of the elements,

Early and late as is becoming,

Early and late as is becoming.