by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Josef Václav Sládek (1845 - 1912)
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)
Text 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
Modlitba
Language: Czech (Čeština) after the English
Bytosti velká, kdo Ty jsi, já chápat nemohu, však jistě vím, že všecko znáš, i zem i oblohu. Zde před Tebou Tvůj stojí tvor pln zármutku a běd: však vím, že trýzeň duše mé Tvůj řídí kyn a hled. Ty, všemohoucí, nemůžeš být krutým v hněvu Svém, — ó setři slzy s očí mých, neb smrt je zavři snem. Však trpěti-li musím dál, Tvých nechápaje cest, jen dej mi s mužnou odvahou vše, co jsi určil, nést.
Confirmed with BURNS, Robert. Výbor z písní a ballad, translated by Josef Václav Sládek, Praha: J. Otto, 1892.
Text Authorship:
- by Josef Václav Sládek (1845 - 1912), "Modlitba" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "A prayer under the pressure of violent anguish"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-08-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 77