by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
O Thou Great Being! what Thou art
Language: English
O Thou Great Being! what Thou art, Surpasses me to know; Yet sure I am, that known to Thee Are all Thy works below. Thy creature here before Thee stands, All wretched and distrest; Yet sure those ills that wring my soul Obey Thy high behest. Sure, Thou, Almighty, canst not act From cruelty or wrath! O, free my weary eyes from tears, Or close them fast in death! But, if I must afflicted be, To suit some wise design, Then man my soul with firm resolves, To bear and not repine!
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "A prayer under the pressure of violent anguish" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Linton Gardner (1917 - 2011), "Prayer under the pressure of violent anguish", op. 213 no. 1, published 1993 [ mixed chorus and orchestra ], from A Burns Sequence, no. 1, London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Modlitba"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-01-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 92