Heyr himna smiður

The original text is presented here with the medieval and 19th-century Icelandic versions. The third column features a rough, literal translation into English, while the fourth column is a looser translation regularized to a metrical pattern of 5.5.5.5.5.5.5.5 and stating all first-person pronouns in the singular. {{Cite web|title=Heyr, himna smiður (Hear, smith of the heavens) (1973)|url=https://www.oxfordlieder.co.uk/song/3645|access-date=August 3, 2021|website=Oxford Lieder}}

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Heyr himna smiðr

hvers skáldit biðr;

komi mjúk til mín

miskunnin þín.

Því heitk á þik

þú hefr skaptan mik;

ek em þrællinn þinn,

þú est dróttinn minn.

Goð, heitk á þik

at græðir mik;

minzk mildingr mín,

mest þurfum þín;

ryð þú rǫðla gramr,

ríklyndr ok framr,

hǫlds hverri sorg

ór hjarta borg.

Gæt, mildingr, mín

mest þurfum þín

helzt hverja stund

á hǫlða grund;

sett, meyjar mǫgr,

málsefni fǫgr,

ǫll es hjǫ́lp af þér

í hjarta mér.

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Heyr, himna smiður,

hvers skáldið biður.

Komi mjúk til mín

miskunnin þín.

Því heit eg á þig,

þú hefur skaptan mig.

Ég er þrællinn þinn,

þú ert drottinn minn.

Guð, heit eg á þig,

að græðir mig.

Minnst, mildingur, mín,

mest þurfum þín.

Ryð þú, röðla gramur,

ríklyndur og framur,

hölds hverri sorg

úr hjartaborg.

Gæt, mildingur, mín,

mest þurfum þín,

helst hverja stund

á hölda grund.

Set, meyjar mögur,

málsefni fögur,

öll er hjálp af þér,

í hjarta mér.

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Hear, smith of the heavens,

what the poet asks.

May softly come unto me

thy mercy.

So I call on thee,

for thou hast created me.

I am thy slave,

thou art my Lord.

God, I call on thee

to heal me.

Remember me, mild one,Or mild king. This is a pun on the word mildingur.

Most we need thee.

Drive out, O king of suns,

generous and great,

human every sorrow

from the fortress of the heart.

Watch over me, mild one,

Most we need thee,

truly every moment

in the world of men.

send us, son of the virgin,

good causes,

all aid is from thee,

in my heart.

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Hear, smith of heavens.

The poet seeketh.

In thy still small voice

Mayest thou show grace.

As I call on thee,

Thou my creator.

I am thy servant,

Thou art my true Lord.

God, I call on thee;

For thee to heal me.

Bid me, prince of peace,

Thou my supreme need.

Ever I need thee,

Generous and great,

O’er all human woe,

City of thy heart.

Guard me, my savior.

Ever I need thee,

Through ev’ry moment

In this world so wide.

Virgin–born, send me

Noble motives now.

Aid cometh from thee,

To my deepest heart.

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Recordings featuring Sigurbjörnsson’s 20th-century melody:

• 2008, Hallgrimskirkja Motet Choir, album: Ljósið þitt lýsi mér: Icelandic Church Music{{Cite web|title=Mótettukór Hallgrímskirkju: LJÓSIÐ ÞITT LÝSI MÉR|url=https://www.farmersmarket.is/products/motettukor-hallgrimskirkju-ljosi-itt-lysi-mer|access-date=August 3, 2021|website=www.farmersmarket.is}}
• 2021, Voces8, album: Infinity{{Cite web|title=VOCES8 Announce their New Album 'Infinity'|url=https://voces8.com/news/new-album-announcement-infinity|access-date=August 3, 2021|website=voces8.com|date=14 May 2021 }}

• Árstíðir
• Eivør Pálsdóttir
• Hamrahlíðakórinn
• Ylja
• Voces8

In September 2013, the hymn went viral thanks to an impromptu performance by Árstíðir, an Icelandic indie-folk group. As of 2021, the video, which is published on YouTube, has more than 7.6 million views.{{Cite news|date=May 7, 2021|title=An 800-year-old Icelandic hymn sung in a train station is utterly haunting|work=Classic FM|url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/800-year-old-icelandic-hymn-train-station/|access-date=August 3, 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Árstíðir - Heyr himna smiður (Icelandic hymn) in train station|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4dT8FJ2GE0&t=3s|access-date=August 3, 2021|website=YouTube| date=16 September 2013 }}

In 2017, two episodes of the American dystopian television series The Handmaid's Tale featured the hymn. The version used was arranged and performed by Hildur Guðnadóttir from her 2014 album "Saman".{{Cite news|date=July 11, 2017|title=Ancient Icelandic hymn featured in popular series Handmaid's Tale|work=Iceland Magazine|url=https://icelandmag.is/article/ancient-icelandic-hymn-featured-popular-series-handmaids-tale|access-date=August 3, 2021}}{{Cite news|date=July 10, 2017|title=Heyr himnasmiður í Handmaid's Tale|work=MORGUNBLAÐIÐ|url=https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2017/07/10/heyr_himnasmidur_i_handmaid_s_tale/|access-date=August 3, 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

• Árni Daníel Júlíusson, Jón Ólafur Ísberg, Helgi Skúli Kjartansson ″Íslenskur sögu atlas: 1. bindi: Frá öndverðu til 18. aldar.″ Almenna bókafélagið, Reykjavík 1989.
• Árni Heimir Ingólfsson. ″Iceland’s Favorite Hymn.″ https://www.arniheimir.com/post/iceland-s-favorite-hymn, access date November 8, 2023.
• Sigurður Nordal et al., ″Sýnisbók íslenzkra bókmennta til miðrar átjándu aldar.″ Reykjavík 1953.

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{{Lutheran hymnody}}

{{Lutheran hymns}}

Category:Lutheran hymns

Category:Icelandic poetry

Category:Icelandic songs