Verse
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!
Nom·geib ferg...
Nom·geib ferg
fri cach n-indmas acht mo delg:
mo delg cia théis triam’ dernainn,
ferg fri suide ní dernaim.
(takes-me * anger /
against * every * possession * but * my * brooch /
my * brooch * although * you might go * through my * palm /
anger * against * that * not * I would do)
I get angry
at everything I own except my brooch:
my brooch, even though you went through my palm,
I could not get angry at that.
Masa brec gach dan suad...
Masa brec gach dan suad,
is brec brat ’s as brec biad;
’s as brec an domhan uli,
’s as brec fos an duine criad.
(if is * lie * every * poem * of sages /
is * lie * cloak * and * is * lie * food /
and * is * lie * the * world * all /
and * is * lie * yet * the * man * of clay)
If the poems of the wise are lies,
clothing and food are lies;
and the whole world is a lie,
and even man of clay is a lie.
A rí rind...
A rí rind,
cid dub mo thech nó cid find,
nocho n-íadfaither fri nech
nár’ íada Críst a thech frimm.
(O * king * of stars /
though * dark * my * house * or * though * bright /
not * it will be closed * against * anyone /
that not * may close * Christ * his * house * against me)
O King of stars!
Though my house be dark or bright,
it shall not be closed to anyone
so that Christ may not close his house to me.
Is úar gáeth...
Is úar gáeth
i ndorus tige na lláech;
batar inmaine laích
bítis etrainn ocus gaíth.
(is * cold * wind / in * door * of house * of the * warriors / were * dear * warriors / (that) were * between us * and * wind)
The wind is cold
in the doorway of the warriors’ house;
beloved were the warriors
who stood between us and the wind.
At-chí Bran...
At-chí Bran
lín tonn tibri tar muir glan;
At-chíu cadéin i mMaig Mon
scotha cennderga cen on.
(sees * Bran / number * of waves * that break * across * sea * clean / I see * (my)self * in * Mag Mon / flowers * red-headed * without * blemish)
Bran sees
countless waves breaking across a clear sea;
Myself I see on the Plain of Mon
the red tops of flawless flowers.
Ní fhetar...
Ní fhetar
cía lassa fífea Etan;
ro-fetar Etan bán,
nochon fhífea a hoenarán.
(not * is known / who * with * will sleep * Etan / but * I know * Etan * fair-haired / not * will sleep * by herself)
Who knows
who Etan will sleep with?
But I know fair Etan.
She will not sleep alone.
Tan bím eter mo shruithe...
Tan bím eter mo shruithe
am teist ergaire cluiche;
tan bím eter in áes mer
do-muinet is mé a n-oíser.
(when * I am * among * my * elders / I am * evidence * of prohibition * of play / when * I am * among * the * folk * crazy / they think * is * I * their * junior)
When I am among my seniors
I am proof that play is forbidden;
when I am among the crazy kids,
they think that I’m their junior.
Bid éicne brecc i llinn lán...
Bid éicne brecc i llinn lán,
Bid rón, bid ela finnbán.
(he will be * a salmon * speckled * in * pool * full / he will be * a seal * he will be * a swan * fair-white)
He will be a speckled salmon in a brimming pool,
He will be a seal, he will be a fair white swan.
Fil súil nglais...
Fil súil nglais
fégbas Érinn dar a hais;
noco n-aicébá íarmothá
firu Érenn nách a mná.
(there is * an eye * blue / (that) will behold * Ireland * behind it /
not * will see * henceforth / men * of Ireland * nor * her * women)
There is a blue eye
that will look back at Ireland;
never again will it see
the men of Ireland or her women.