Celtic hymn addressed to the new moon

Last night the sky was clear and the garden was bright under a new moon. I looked up in wonder at the expanse of stars across the heavens.

The Celtic people of old looked on the moon as a friend who guided their course on land and sea. For seafaring folk the guiding of the moon could be a matter of life and death. For this reason there are many hymns in the Celtic tradition addressed to the gracious light of the night sky.

The following hymn, translated from the Carmina Gadelica, is quoted by Esther de Waal in her book "The Celtic Vision" 

May thy light be fair to me!
May thy course be smooth to me!
If good to me is thy beginning,
Seven times better be thine end,
Thou fair moon of the seasons,
Thou great lamp of grace!

He who created thee
created me likewise;
He who gave thee weight and light
Gave to me life and death,
And the joy of the seven satisfactions,
Thou lamp of grace,
Thou fair moon of the seasons.

 Image courtesy of Exsodus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net