Verse
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.
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?
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.
Gel cech núa, sásad nglé...
Gel cech núa, sásad nglé,
utmall álcha ócduine,
áilli bretha bíte im sheirc,
milsi bríathra fir thochmairc.
(bright * every * new thing * satisfaction * clear /
unsteady * desires * of young man /
beautiful * decisions* that are * around * love /
sweet * words * of man * of wooing)
Everything new is shiny, a bright enjoyment,
restless are a young man’s desires,
beautiful are decisions about love,
sweet the words of a man who’s courting.
Díambad messe in banmaccán...
Díambad messe in banmaccán
no·cechrainn cach felmaccán,
fer nád·fintar co·cluinter,
slánchéill chéin dúib, a muinter.
(if were * I * the * girl /
I would love * every * young student /
man * that is not known * until he is heard /
sound-sense * long * to you * o * (my) people)
If I were a girl,
I’d love every student,
a man you don’t know till you’ve heard him;
I wish you all the best, my people.
Fó mo ruach...
Fó mo ruach!
Comrac fri mnaí mo druad:
sech romfácaib mo bhean féin,
bean mo druad ní romaithgéin.
(good * my * mire /
[sexual] encounter * with * wife * of my * druid /
besides * (that) has left me * my * wife * own /
wife * of my * druid * not * has recognized me)
Mine is a fine mess!
A tryst with my druid’s wife:
not only has my own wife left me,
my druid’s wife ignores me.
Cris nathrach mo chris...
Cris nathrach mo chris, nathair ima·tá:
náram·gonat fir, náram·millet mná.
(belt * of snake * my * belt * snake * that is around /
may not wound me * men * may not destroy me * women)
My belt is a snake belt, a snake that wraps around:
may men not wound me, may women not destroy me!
Mo théora ucsi forsin Ríg...
Mo théora ucsi forsin Ríg
in tan noscairiub frim chrí:
nímraib dorat i coibsi,
nímraib náma, nímraib ní.
(my * three * wishes * on the * King /
the * time * that I will separate * from my * body /
may I not have * difficulty * in * confession /
may I not have * enemy * may I not have * thing)
My three wishes of the King
when I part from my body:
may I have nothing to confess,
may I have no enemies, no possessions.