LNote: This is a part of an ongoing series. To start at the introduction, follow the link here.

Hymn Text:

“Dios, bendícenos”, by Edmund Richardson, is an interesting example of a hymn where it’s not clear if it’s meant to be an original text, a translation of an existing hymn, or something in between. It was published initially in 1907 and was included in every Spanish hymnal up through the 1942 hymnal. In the 1992 Himnos, however, the translation of “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessings” was published using the same title while the Richardson text was dropped from the hymn book, indicating that it might have been a translation or paraphrase of “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessings” in the past hymnals. There is a significant amount of overlap in ideas between the two hymns, similar meter, and the same number of verses. On the other hand, the text was always attributed to Edmund Richardson as author rather than translator, a different translation by the same author was included as “Señor, despídenos” in the Mexican Mission hymnals (1907-1933), and the texts are not identical. In addition, the hymn was written to be sung to Songs of Zion hymn 121, which was a tune used for “Guide Us, O, Thou Great Jehovah” rather than the “Go, Tell Aunt Rhody” tune used with the hymn most frequently (though it wasn’t uncommon for tunes to be switched around back then). It was not uncommon for Latter-day Saint authors in the past to use an older hymn as a base text and then alter it to create a new hymn (i.e., “Come, Come, Ye Saints” or “Redeemer of Israel”). While I am including it in this project as an original hymn, it is very possible that it was intended as a translation of “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing.”

Dios, bendícenos in the 1907 hymn book

Figure 1. “Dios, bendícenos”, by Edmund Richardson in the 1907 hymnbook.

Table 1. Comparison of texts of “Dios, bendícenos”, by Edmund Richardson in various editions of the Spanish-language hymnals of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1907

1912

1942

Dios, bendícenos, tus hijos

Danos luz, danos poder,

Así que Tu amor teniendo,

Podremos todo mal vencer.

Damos gracias por la dicha

De saber tu voluntad;

Pidiendo Tu amparo

Seguiremos la verdad.

Dios, bendícenos, tus hijos

Danos luz, también poder;

Pues que tu amor teniendo,

Facil es el mal vencer.

Damos gracias por la dicha

De saber tu voluntad;

Pidiendo tu amparo,

Seguiremos la verdad.

Dios, bendícenos, tus hijos,

Danos luz, también poder;

Pues, que tu amor teniendo,

Fácil es el mal vencer.

Damos gracias por la dicha

De saber tu voluntad;

Suplicando tu amparo,

Seguiremos la verdad.

Dínos hoy del Evangelio,

Danos de tu gran amor;

Queremos mejorar la vida,

Perdona Tú al pecador.

Viviremos, morirémos

Conservando la virtud;

Practicando, enseñando

Principios de rectitud.

Hoy oímos tu palabra

Danos de tu gran amor;

Nuestras vidas mejoremos,

De perdón al pecador.

Viviremos, moriremos

Conservando la virtud;

Practicando, enseñando

Máximas de rectitud.

Hoy oímos tu palabra,

Danos de tu gran amor;

Nuestras vidas mejoremos,

De perdón al pecador.

Viviremos, moriremos,

Conservando la virtud;

Practicando, enseñando

Máximas de rectitud.

Table 2. Translation of “Dios, bendícenos”, by Edmund Richardson.

1912 original text

Prose translation

Poetic translation

Dios, bendícenos, tus hijos

Danos luz, también poder;

Pues que tu amor teniendo,

Facil es el mal vencer.

Damos gracias por la dicha

De saber tu voluntad;

Pidiendo tu amparo,

Seguiremos la verdad.

God, bless us, your children

Give us light, also power;

Well, your love having,

It is easy to overcome evil.

We give thanks for the bliss

Of knowing your will;

Asking for your protection,

We will follow the truth.

God bless us, your sons and daughters:

Give us light and power too;

When we have your love, it helps us

To bid evil things adieu.

We give thanks for happiness that

Comes from knowing your intent;

Asking for your great protection,

We will follow truth, content.

Hoy oímos tu palabra

Danos de tu gran amor;

Nuestras vidas mejoremos,

De perdón al pecador.

Viviremos, moriremos

Conservando la virtud;

Practicando, enseñando

Máximas de rectitud.

Today we hear your word

Give us your great love;

Our lives improve,

Forgive the sinner.

We will live, we will die

Preserving virtue;

Practicing, teaching

Maxims of righteousness.

As we hear your word today, please

Give us your great love, we pray;

Help our lives improve in all ways,

And forgive our sins this day.

We will live and we will die, our

Virtue kept whate’re befall;

Practicing and teaching always

Righteous principles for all.

Music:

Below is how “Dios, bendícenos” might have appeared if it was published together with the music in 1912. As a side note, in the 1942 edition, the text appears on the page following the music, but it is the same music, just in a different key.