Similes, Metaphors & Kennings

Is én immon·iada sás...

Is én immon·iada sás,
is nau tholl diant éslinn gúas,
is lestar fás is crann crín,
nad·déni thoil ind ríg thúas.

(is * bird * around which closes * snare /
is * boat * perforated * to which is * dangerous * jeopardy /
is * vessel * empty * is * tree * withered /
that does not * will * of the * king * above)

He is a bird around which the trap closes,
he is a leaky ship that is unsafe in perilous waters,
he is a an empty vessel, a withered tree,
whoever does not do the will of the king above.

méitithir muldorn míled

(as big * (as) rounded-fist * of soldier)

as big as the balled-up fist of a fighter

Rat·meliub mar meles muilend múadbraich!

I will grind you * as * grinds * mill * fine-malt)

I will grind you the way a mill grinds malt!

Cid as dech de shétaib?...

Cid as dech de shétaib?
Scían, ar is fri céill samailtir.

(what * that is * best * of * treasures?
knife * because * it is * to * intelligence * it is likened)

What is the best of treasures?
A knife, for it is a simile of intelligence.

No·dedlaistis finna for uisciu.

(they would cleave * hair * on * water)

They would split a hair on the water.

Is dobrán re miníascach...

Is dobrán re miníascach
seobacc re hénaib sléibe,
catt re lochaid, cú re muicc,
ben micc is máthair chéile.

(it is * otter * against * little fish /
hawk * against * birds * of mountain /
cat * against * mouse * dog * against * pig /
wife * of son * and * mother * in-law)

Like an otter with little fishes,
a hawk with mountain birds,
a cat with a mouse, a dog with a pig,
a son’s wife and her mother-in-law!

Ba fras de némannaib boí ina bélaib.

(was * shower * of * pearls * (that) was * in her/his * lips)

It was a shower of pearls that was in her/his mouth.

Samaltir in molad doínde...

Samaltir in molad doínde fri laithe ar a gairti mbís.

(is likened * the * praise * human * to * day * according to * its * shortness * that it always is)

Human praise is likened to a day because of the short time it endures.

Cruth cen chéill...

Cruth cen chéill, dóiriu cach cor:
is neime i n-órlestar.

(form * without * sense * more ignoble * (than) every * condition /
(it) is * poison * in * golden-vessel)

Beauty without intelligence, the worst of all:
it’s poison in a golden vessel.

Cúaille feda i feilm n-airgit.

(stake * of wood * in * fence * of silver)

A wooden stake in a silver fence.