Sengoídelc - Blessings & Good Wishes

A Brigit bennach ar s�t...

Mon, 13 Jun 2005 22:28:57 -0400

A Brigit bennach ar sét
nachar·tair bét ar ar cúairt;
a chaillech a l-Lifi lán
co·rísem slán ar tech úait.

(o * Brigit * bless * our * road /
that may not come to us * calamity * on * our * trip /
o * nun * from * Liffey * full /
may we reach * safe * our * house * from you)

O Brigit, bless our road,
that calamity may not overtake us as we travel;
O veiled one from the laden Liffey
may we reach home safely by your intercession.

This verse, the first in a longer prayer, is found at LL 308a, where it is recited by St. Mo Ling. Elsewhere (Irische Texte iii.53) there is a long incantation containing a mix of pagan and christian elements that begins "Ad·muiniur secht n-ingena trethan" (I invoke the seven daughters of the sea). Two lines in it also call for a safe journey:

Ním·thí bás for fecht,
ro·fírthar mo thecht!

May death not come to me on a journey,
may my return be realized!

See also "Rop soraid in sét-sa" in this collection for another prayer for safe travel.

Ad-rae b�aid ocus bennachtain!

Mon, 02 May 2005 18:37:36 -0400

Ad-rae búaid ocus bennachtain!

("take" * profit / victory * and * blessing)

Benefits and blessings to you!

This phrase is used repeatedly by St. Patrick and others, in "Acallam na Senórach" and other texts, as a blessing given in thanks or in greeting. In Modern Irish it takes the form "Beir bua agus beannacht" and is commonly used as a complimentary close in letters.

Bennacht d� ocus ainde fort!

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 20:52:05 -0500

Bennacht dé ocus ainde fort!

(blessing * of gods * and * un-gods * on you)

The blessings of the gods and the non-gods upon you!

Spoken by Cú Chulainn to the Morrígan in the LU version of "Táin Bó Cúailgne". He did not recognize his adversary when he gave the blessing, she being disguised as an old woman milking a cow. The word "bennacht", earlier spelled "bendacht", comes from Latin "benedictum".

Bennacht for c�ch at�beir!

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 21:06:50 -0500

Bennacht for cách at·beir!

(blessing * on * everything * that you say)

A blessing on all you've said!

Spoken by King Illann in "Scéla Cano Meic Gartnáin".

Bennacht for c�ch don��ncamar...

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 21:16:51 -0500

Bennacht for cách don·áncamar.
Ro·ícca Día dar ar cend, óre nach ícfam-ne.

(blessing * on * everything * that we have come to *
may repay * God * across * our * head * for * that not * will we repay)

A blessing on all that has come to us.
May God repay you for our sake, for we will not be able to.

Spoken by Cano to Illann in "Scéla Cano Meic Gartnáin".

Bennacht nime...

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 20:52:48 -0500

Bennacht nime, nél-bennacht,
Bennacht tíre, torad-bennacht,
Bennacht mara, íasc-bennacht.

(blessing * of heaven * cloud-blessing / blessing * of earth * fruit-blessing / blessing * of sea / fish-blessing)

The blessing of heaven, cloud blessing,
The blessing of earth, fruit blessing,
The blessing of sea, fish blessing.

The first three of a series of blessings "foraib uile rígaib Caisil" (on all the kings of Cashel), from "The Story of the Finding of Cashel".

Buaid lamaig ort, a meic, ocus buaid roinni ocus buaid coscair!

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:28:11 -0400

Buaid lamaig ort, a meic, ocus buaid roinni ocus buaid coscair!

(virtue * of dexterity * on you * o * son * and * virtue * of distribution * and * virtue * of triumph)

May you have the gift of dexterity, my lad, and the gift of generosity and the gift of winning.

Patrick's blessing on Áed, son the King of Leinster, in "Acallam na Senórach" (line 4809).

Corbat cara sluaig ...

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:45:56 -0500

Corbat cara sluaig,
Corbat roga ríg,
Corbat cruithnecht chaem,
Corbat craebh co fín.

(may you be * friend * of multitude
may you be * choice * of king(s)
may you be * wheat * lovely
may you be * branch * with * wine)

May you be the friend of many.
May you be the choice of kings.
May you be the beautiful wheat.
May you be the branch that yields wine.

A blessing, in the form of a complete stanza in the metre known as lethrannaigecht mór, bestowed by Ailill Ólomm on his son Éogan Mór in the Middle Irish poem "A maccáin na cí".

D�a limm fri fuin, D�a limm fri f�ir.

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:53:31 -0500

Día limm fri fuin, Día limm fri fáir.

(God * with me * at * sunset * God * with me * at * sunrise)

God with me at sunset, God with me at sunrise.

A blessing attributed to Colum Cille in "Sanas Cormaic" (# 605). By substituting other prepositional forms for "limm", this can be a blessing not of oneself but of others: "latt" (with you, singular),"lib" (with you, plural), or "linn" (with us).

Do maith ocus l�th d�ib!

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 12:44:51 -0400

Do maith ocus líth dúib!

(for * good * and * luck * to you all)

Prosperity and luck to you!

This formula of greeting is found in the tale "Inghen Ríg Ghréc" in LL, edited in "Silva Gadelica" (p. 414). Compare the structure of "Do shoínmigi sin!" in this collection.

Do sho�nmigi sin!

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:42:06 -0500

Do shoínmigi sin!

(for * happiness, prosperity * that)

Congratulations!

Said by Conall to Cú Chulainn when he took charge of his first chariot, in the "Macgnímartha".

Imb i c�in fa in accus beo-sa...

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 12:29:17 -0400

Imb i céin fa in accus beo-sa, nicon·chloor acht far caínscél.

(be it * in * distance * or * in * nearness * that I be * may I not hear * but * your (pl.) * good tidings)

Whether I be far or near, may I hear only good news of you all.

This lovely formula, both courtly and affectionate, is found in the Würzburg Glosses (23b41). I can imagine using as a complimentary close in a letter. Addressed to a single person, it would end with "... acht do chaínscél."

L�th gacha labartha leat.

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:34:31 -0400

Líth gacha labartha leat.

(luck * of every * utterance * with you)

May your words prosper you!

Spoken by Conall in "Cath Muigi Rath" (p. 160 in FDG). He continues "caínleas cacha comairli chugud" (the fair benefit of every counsel to you = and may you benefit from every good counsel).

Nom-choimmdiu-co�ma!

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:59:03 -0500

Nom-choimmdiu-coíma!

(may me * lord * protect)

May the Lord preserve me!

We find this exclamation is written down in the "Thesaurus" (ii 290.11). The word order is archaic, involving a feature called tmesis, which allows a noun to intervene right in the middle of the verbal complex, something like "May pro-the Lord-tect me!"

Rath fortsu dano 7 for fir t'inaid...

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 19:56:27 -0400

Rath fortsu dano 7 for fir t'inaid ina lóg sin, 7 nirab écen iarfaigid fir t'inaid do grés in cach airiucht i mbia.

(good fortune * on you * then * and * on * men * of your place * in its * reward * that * and * may there not be * need * of protection * of man * of your place * for * ever * in * every * assembly * in * which he will be)

Prosperity on you then and on your successors in reward for that, and may the protection of your successor be forever unnecessary in any assembly in which he is!

Lí Bán delivers this effusive blessing in exchange for the offer of a purple cloak in "Aided Echach Meic Maireda" (LU 3114-15). For other examples of the use of the "fir t(h)'inaid" in blessings and curses, see "Dolma n-aithisc for fer th'inaid do grés" and "Sonus ocus degfhéth tria bithu d'fhir th'inaid do grés" in this collection.