Page:Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry - Meyer.djvu/63

 MAELISU'S HYMN TO THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

O angel! Bear, O Michael of great miracles, To the Lord my plaint.

Hearest thou? Ask of forgiving God Forgiveness of all my vast evil.

Delay not! Carry my fervent prayer To the King, to the great King!

To my soul Bring help, bring comfort At the hour of its leaving earth.

Stoutly To meet my expectant soul Come with many thousand angels!

O soldier! Against the crooked, wicked, militant world Come to my help in earnest!

Do not Disdain what I say! As long as I live do not desert me!

Thee I choose, That thou mayst save my soul, My mind, my sense, my body.

O thou of goodly counsels, Victorious, triumphant one, Angelic slayer of Antichrist!