A Salty Dog

The Latin Text

These are the Latin words chanted on the Gary Brooker Ensemble's Within Our House recording of A Salty Dog, and later in choral /orchestral versions.
They were devised by GB in collaboration with Latin scholar Peter Dicks. For an account of this text in performance click here or here

Introduction and final verse
non navis acta hieme portum posse capiet nisi dominum patrem filiumque et spiritum sanctum

A ship driven by winter storms will not reach port unless it will take, as its master, Father Son and Holy Ghost

Verse one
si quidem gubernator veritate cursum tenebit ad caelum profecto navem itinere recto reget

If indeed the helmsman will hold his course by the truth, then certainly he will steer the ship by a straight course toward heaven.

Verse two
ventus veritatis semper navem diriget ad portum

The wind of truth will always lead the ship into harbour

Coda
animadvertis verba mea

What you are hearing is my word

trans. RC

See also Faith and the Sea: Christian symbolism in A Salty Dog