I bind unto myself to-day
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in
Three.
I bind this day to me for ever,
By power of faith, Christ's
incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spiced
tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom:
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself the
power
of the great love of
cherubim;
the sweet "Well done"
in judgment hour;
the service of the seraphim;
confessors' faith, apostles'
word,
the patriarchs' prayers,
the prophets' scrolls;
all good deeds done
unto the Lord,
and purity of virgin
souls.
I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the starlit
heaven,
the glorious sun's life-giving
ray,
the whiteness of the
moon at even,
the flashing of the
lightning free,
the whirling wind's
tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the
deep salt sea,
around the old eternal
rocks.
I bind unto myself today
the power of God to
hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his
might to stay,
his ear to hearken to
my need;
the wisdom of my God
to teach,
his hand to guide, his
shield to ward;
the word of God to give
me speech,
his heavenly host to
be my guard.
[Against the demon snares
of sin,
the vice that gives
temptation force,
the natural lusts that
war within,
the hostile men that
mar my course;
of few or many, far
or nigh,
in every place, and
in all hours
against their fierce
hostility,
I bind to me these holy
powers.
Against all Satan's spells
and wiles,
against false words
of heresy,
against the knowledge
that defiles
against the heart's
idolatry,
against the wizard's
evil craft,
against the death-wound
and the burning
the choking wave and
poisoned shaft,
protect me, Christ,
till thy returning.]
Christ be with me, Christ within
me,
Christ behind me, Christ before
me,
Christ beside me, Christ to
win,
Christ to comfort and restore
me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above
me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that
love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and
stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in
Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation:
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
[Return to translation
by Kuno Meyer] |