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Mór in bét!...
Mór in bét!
Immad sliged ocus sét
tar lebaid na sruthi soer,
tar nar chóir acht óen de chét.
(great * the * calamity /
abundance * of ways * and * paths /
across * bed * of the * streams * noble /
across * would not be * right * but * one * of * hundred)
What a pity!
Many are the roads and ways
across the bed of noble rivers,
yet only one in a hundred is right.
Ní dlig ferann fer cen treoir...
Ní dlig ferann fer cen treoir,
ní dlig degairm fer cen gliaid,
ní dlig cerchaill cenn co mbeoil,
ní dlig feoil fer cen scíain.
(not * deserves * land * man * without * energy /
not * deserves * good armament * man * without * fight /
not * deserves * pillow * head * with * grease /
not * deserves * meat * man * without * knife)
A man without energy doesn’t deserve land,
a man without fight doesn’t deserve good weapons,
a greasy head does not deserve a pillow,
a man without a knife doesn’t deserve meat.
Tigedhus do bheith gan mnaoi...
Tigedhus do bheith gan mnaoi,
as iomramh luinge gan laoi.
(household * for * being * without * woman /
is * rowing * of boat * without * rudder)
A household to be without a wife
is the rowing of a rudderless boat.
Toll taobh ó bheith gan bhráthair.
Toll taobh ó bheith gan bhráthair.
(pierced / broken * side * from * being * without * brother)
A side is broken without a brother. = It is not good to stand alone.
Nochan fhitir mac duine...
Nochan fhitir mac duine
cuich dá ndénann sé cruinne;
in cruinne do fodéin é,
nó in cruinne do neach aile?
(not * knows * son * of man /
whom * to which * makes * he * accumulation /
is it * accumulation * for him * self * it /
or * is it * accumulation * for * someone * other)
Man doesn’t know
for whom he accumulates;
is it a hoard for himself,
or a hoard for someone else?
Fognad dúib ág is ernbas!
Fognad dúib ág is ernbas!
(may serve * to you (pl.) * strife, oppression, etc. * and * iron-death)
May danger and violent death follow you all!
Is mór ní súigios lesrach banscáile.
Is mór ní súigios lesrach banscáile!
(is * great * thing * that absorbs * thighs * of woman)
A woman’s thighs can absorb a lot!
Dlighidh coire cnáimh.
Dlighidh coire cnáimh.
(deserves * cauldron * bone)
A cauldron is entitled to a bone.
Sladbrad ocus guin duine...
Sladbrad ocus guin duine,
gáir cloc, gáir ceall, gáir ngloine,
saint, feall, fingal co féighe,
báthuidh féli sin uile.
(pillage-robbery * and * killing * of man /
cry * of bells * cry * of churches * cry * of purities /
greed * treachery * kin-slaying * with * eagarness /
drowns * generosity * that * all)
Pillage, robbery, and murder,
the church’s curse and excommunication,
greed, treachery, eagar kin-slaying,
generosity wipes all that clean!
Dámadh ór in duille donn...
Dámadh ór in duille donn
chuiris di in chaill,
dámad airget in gheal-tonn
ro thidhluicfed Find.
(if were * gold * the * leaf * brown /
that puts * f rom it * the * wood /
if were * silver * the * bright-wave /
would bestow * Finn)
If the brown leaves
that the trees shed were gold,
if the bright waves were silver,
Finn would give it all away.