Friday 2 May 2014

Ancient Hymn....

This is a truly sublime and hauntingly lovely 800 year old Icelandic hymn......

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A translation of the hymn:
Hear, smith of the heavens,
what the poet asks.
May softly come unto me
thy mercy.
So I call on thee,
for thou hast created me.
I am thy slave,
thou art my Lord.

God, I call on thee
to heal me.
Remember me, mild one, (or mild king. This is a pun on the word mildingur).
Most we need thee.
Drive out, O king of suns,
generous and great,
human every sorrow
from the city of the heart.

Watch over me, mild one,
Most we need thee,
truly every moment
in the world of men.
send us, son of the virgin,
good causes,
all aid is from thee,
in my heart.

2 comments:

Martha said...

That was really beautiful! I imagine they were practicing in that (train station?) for the acoustics, which would be like a concert hall. Do you know these people?

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

Hi Martha,

The group is, I believe, called Árstíðir and information about the group and their work can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81rst%C3%AD%C3%B0ir