St. Patrick's Breastplate

 I arise today

Through a might strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of

Christ's birth with his baptism,

Through the strength of

his crucifixion with his burial,

Through the strength of

his resurrection with his ascension,

Through the strength of

his descent for the judgement of Doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,

In obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

In prayers of patriarchs,

In predictions of prophet,

In preaching of apostles,

In faith of confessors,

In innocence of holy virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I arise 

Through the strength of heaven:

Light of sun,

Radiance of moon,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of wind,

Depth of sea,

Stability of earth,

Firmness of rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me

From snares of devils,

From temptations of vices,

From everyone who shall me I'll,

Afar and Anwar,

Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these power between

me and those evils,

Against every cruel merciless power that

may oppose my body and soul

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of paganism,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge

that corrupts man's body and soul

Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me

abundance of reward,

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when

I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who

thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of

everyone who speaks of me,  Christ

in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every year that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the 

invocation of the Trinity, through

belief in the threeness,  

Through confession of the oneness,

Of the Creator of Creation.

from

How the Irish Saved Civilization

by Thomas Cahill (Doubleday, 1995)