Biblical phrase commonly inscribed on war memorials
"Their name liveth for evermore" inscribed on the Stone of Remembrance at the Buttes New British Cemetery, in Belgium
"Their name liveth for evermore" is a phrase from the Jewish book of Ecclesiasticus or Sirach, chapter 44, verse 14, widely inscribed on war memorials since the First World War.[1]
In full, verse 14 reads "Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore."[2] The chapter begins with the line "Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us."[3] The full text of verse 14 was suggested by Rudyard Kipling[4] as an appropriate inscription for memorials after the First World War, with the intention that it could be carved into the Stone of Remembrance proposed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for the Imperial (now Commonwealth) war cemeteries. Lutyens was initially opposed, concerned that someone might inappropriately add an "s" after "peace" ("peaces" being a homophone of "pieces"), but relented when the phrase was cut down to just the second part of the verse, omitting the reference to bodies resting in peace.[5]
Kipling also suggested the memorial phrase "Known unto God" for gravestones marking the resting place of unidentified or unknown soldiers,[6] possibly taken from Acts, chapter 15, verse 18—"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world".[7] The memorial phrase "lest we forget" is taken from Kipling's poem "Recessional"—"Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet / Lest we forget—lest we forget!"[8]
^"BBC - History - Historic Figures: Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)".
^"Ecclesiasticus 44:14 KJV "Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore."".
^"Ecclesiasticus 44:1 KJV "Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us."".
^Booth, Howard J. (September 2011). The Cambridge Companion to Rudyard Kipling. ISBN 9781107493636.
^Scates, Bruce (2006-03-28). Return to Gallipoli: Walking the Battlefields of the Great War. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-68151-3.
^Scates, Bruce (28 March 2006). Return to Gallipoli: Walking the Battlefields of the Great War. ISBN 9780521681513.
^"ACTS 15:18 KJV "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."".
^"Recessional by Rudyard Kipling". 29 June 2023.
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Known unto God Theirnamelivethforevermore The Bible (King James Version) - book of Deuteronomy, chapter 4, verses 7 to 9. "Hymns for ANZAC Day". Retrieved...
bottom. An Altar of Remembrance, bearing the words from Sirach: "Theirnamelivethforevermore" marks the top of the flight of stone steps leading down a center...
spirits there be that are created for vengeance, and in their fury lay on sore strokes." "Theirnamelivethforevermore" is a phrase from the King James...
1918/ THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE Plaque: IN EVERLASTING MEMORY OF THE MEN & WOMEN/ OF KILMARNOCK WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY/...
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to the project were his selection of the biblical phrase, "TheirNameLivethForEvermore" (Ecclesiasticus 44.14, KJV), found on the Stones of Remembrance...
by Sir Edwin Lutyens with words from the Wisdom of Sirach: "Theirnamelivethforevermore"; all the Stones of Remembrance are 11 ft 6 ins long and 5 ft...
Allahabad in 1943. A Stone of Remembrance, engraved with the words 'theirnamelivethforevermore' is also present at the cemetery, as well as a Cross of Sacrifice...
August 4th 1914 to November 11th 1918. Theirnamelivethforevermore. At the foot of the column are inscribed the names of four theatres of war, "France"...
from Ecclesiasticus: "Their bodies are buried in peace; / but theirnamelivethforevermore. Ecclus XLIV 14" The bronze sculpture by William Robert Colton...
Remembrance, designed by Edwin Lutyens with the inscription "Theirnamelivethforevermore". The concept of the Stone of Remembrance stone was developed...
is a quote from the Wisdom of Sirach. (Ecclesiasticus 44:14) THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE Bretteville-sur-Laize Cemetery Thiepval Memorial Ortona Cemetery...
altar stone, with the inscription "TheirNameLivethForEvermore", was built on circular bed created especially for it. On both sides of the St. Patrick's...
inscription "TheirNameLivethForEvermore." The white limestone gravestones show the emblem of the military unit, day of death, religion (if known), name and...
Below this, the base still bears the original inscription "THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE". Two pals battalions of the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire...
GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN TWO WORLD WARS / AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN / AND IN THE MORNING / WE WILL REMEMBER THEM / THEIRNAMELIVETH / FOREVERMORE". The...
and then, carved into the stone at the base of the cenotaph: "THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE" On the east face, carded to either side of the royal coat of...
GLORIOUS DEAD" then some names then the inscription "THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE". The south side bears the date "1914" and more names, and the north side...
were erected. Kipling proposed the inscription "theirnamelivethforevermore" for the monuments. For his work during the war, Ware was mentioned in despatches...
identifiable by the Cross of Sacrifice and stone plinth with the words Theirnamelivethforevermore. Each panel on the screen wall is represented by a number stone...
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