Hymn Title: Be Thou My Vision
Author: Unknown – Irish hymn from 8th century; translated into English by Mary Byrne, then versified by Eleanor Hull
A representative text is below, using the verses with which I am most familiar. Check out the link after the text from Religious Affections where Scott Aniol talks about the original and the way he thinks is a better way to sing it in English, maintaining the parallel poetry of the original.
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.