Irish blessing (Blessing prayer) - Traditional & Robert Fabing

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 17 March 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

Refrain: PRAY+ ROAD SURFACE-MEET-FEET HELP SUPPORT YOU.
PRAY+ WIND PUSH+ RIGHT WAY.
PRAY+ SUNSHINE HELP YOUR FACE WARM.
UNTIL TWO-OF-US MEET AGAIN.

1. PRAY+ RAIN TRICKLE-DOWN SOFT ON YOUR FACE.
REALLY-WANT GOD RISE-UP YOU.

2. CHRIST AHEAD-OF YOU, CHRIST IN-BACK YOU,
CHRIST BELOW YOU, CHRIST ABOVE YOU.

3. CHRIST PROTECT YOU, CHRIST BE-WITH YOU.
CHRIST BE-WITH YOU NOW AND ALWAYS.

4. SEE CHRIST IN EVERY EYE YOU MEET.
CHRIST LISTEN THROUGH EACH PERSON YOU TALK-TO.

5. CHRIST INSIDE-SELF EVERY HEART THAT KNOW YOU.
CHRIST IN EVERY CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU.

6. CHRIST STAND YOUR LEFT. CHRIST STAND YOUR RIGHT.
CHRIST WATCH YOU GO-TO-BED, WATCH YOU GET-UP.


Notes: SURFACE-MEET-FEET - DH [V^], PO down, FO away, stands in place while NDH [B], PO down, FO away, rises from below and meets the FTs of the DH.

PUSH+ - (2h)[B] moves as if pushing away something in front of signer.

TRICKLE-DOWN - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, hands descend from above with wg.

REALLY-WANT - WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.

RISE-UP - (2h)[B], POs down, FOs away, lower slightly, supinate, and rise up.

YOU - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

AHEAD-OF - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs away, DH is held behind NDH, then passes around it and stops in front of it.

IN-BACK - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs away, DH is held ahead of NDH, then passes around it and stops behind it.

BELOW - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs away, hands are held side by side, then DH changes PO to down, moves under NDH and returns to its previous handshape.

ABOVE - (2h)[A], POs <, FOs away, DH starts below NDH and moves around and then stops above it.

BE-WITH - TOGETHER.

INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.

Lyrics:

Refrain: May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always with you,
May the sunshine warm you always
til we meet again.

1. May the rain fall softly on you,
May the hand of God uphold you.

2. Christ before you, Christ behind you,
Christ beneath you, Christ above you.

3. Christ to shield you, Christ be with you,
Christ be with you now and always.

4. Christ in every eye that sees you,
Christ in every ear that hears you.

5. Christ in every heart that knows you,
Christ in every word that speaks of you.

6. Christ is on your left, Christ is on your right,
Christ when you lay down and rise up.

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