"Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!"

The words of the ancient Christian song “Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!” are based on an English translation of a Greek monk, named Joseph (? – 883). Often confused with Joseph of the Studium (or Thessolonica), adventure rather than a “calm” Christianity marked Joseph the Greek’s life. He was born in Sicily but lived the life of a monk in Thessalonica for a while. He then lived briefly in Constantinople, but moved to Rome when the persecution became severe. Captured by pirates, he became a slave for many years and then regained his freedom. Afterward, he set up a monastery in Constantinople where after many trials and even banishments, he became associated with Photius, a layman elected Saint of the Eastern Orthodox church, who is attributed the responsibility for the initial separation of the East and West parts of the church. Joseph the Greek apparently wrote over a thousand hymns.

In 1862, John M. Neale published a translation of Joseph the Greek’s ancient Christian song, “Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!” in a hymnal called Hymns of the Eastern Church. In 1889, Arthur H. D. Prendergast set the piece to the music, “Axbridge,” in a hymnal called Hymns Ancient and Modern.

“Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!”

Safe home, safe home in port!

Rent cordage, shattered deck,

Torn sails, provisions short,

And only not a wreck;

But oh! the joy upon the shore

To tell our voyage—perils o’er!

The prize, the prize secure!

The athlete nearly fell;

Bare all he could endure,

And bare not always well;

But he may smile at troubles gone

Who sets the victor-garland on.

No more the foe can harm;

No more of leaguered camp,

And cry of night alarm,

And need of ready lamp;

And yet how nearly he had failed—

How nearly had that foe prevailed!

The lamb is in the fold,

In perfect safety penned;

The lion once had hold,

And thought to make an end;

But One came by with wounded side,

And for the sheep the Shepherd died.

The exile is at home!

O nights and days of tears,

O longings not to roam,

O sins and doubts and fears;

What matters now grief’s darkest day?

The King has wiped those tears away

“Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!” is just one of the many translations of Eastern Orthodox Church music that Neale translated. He was of the opinion that music written by Isaac Watts and his contemporaries held erroneous doctrine in the lyrics. And so, he spent a good deal of his time researching Eastern Orthodoxy for pieces of music that he felt would be appropriate. The result was a collection of ancient Christian songs translated from Greek to English and published in hymnals such as Hymns of the Eastern Church.

“Safe Home, Safe Home in Port!”

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