Verse
Duibithir dath a berrtha...
Duibithir dath a berrtha
bruinde brain, brollach n-aidchi,
édgad luin, lúaithe ngaimche,
caera finchi, fúan fuinche.
(as black as * color * of his haircut /
as breast * of raven * bosom * of night /
clothing * of blackbird * ashes * of winter night (?) /
berries * of vine (?) / tunic * of scaldcrow)
The color of his hair is as black
as a raven’s breast, as the bosom of night,
as a blackbird’s garment, as the ashes of a winter night,
as the berries of the vine, as a scaldcrow’s tunic.
Céin mair ailén mora máir...
Céin mair ailén mora máir:
dosn-icc tuile íarna tráig;
os mé, ní frescu dom-í
tuile tar éis n-aithbi.
(long * live * island * of sea * great / comes to it * flood tide * after its * ebbing / as for * me * not * expectation * (that) it may come to me / flood tide * after * ebb)
Lucky the island of the great sea:
flood tide returns to it after ebb;
as for me, I have no hope that
flood will follow ebb for me.
Cid glic fri hailchi úara...
Cid glic fri hailchi úara,
cid sáer ac imirt béla,
cid binn a dord fri dúana,
do chúala as borb nat léga.
(although * clever * at * stones * cold / although * a craftsman * at * plying * of an axe / although * sweet * his * vocalizing * at * songs / I heard * is * rude * that not * reads)
Though clever with cold stones,
though a craftsman with an axe,
though sweet his singing voice,
I’ve heard he is dull who does not read.
Síd co nem...
Síd co nem,
nem co domun,
domun fo nim,
nert i cách.
(peace * to * heaven / heaven * to * earth / earth * under * heaven / strength * in * each one)
Peace to heaven,
heaven to earth,
earth under heaven,
strength in each.
Fil duine...
Fil duine
frismad buide limm díuterc,
ara tibrinn in mbith uile,
a meicc Maire, cid díupart.
(there is * person /
at whom would be * gratification * with me * gazing /
for whom * I would give * the * world * all /
o * son * of Mary * although were * fraud)
There is one
on whom I would gladly gaze,
for whom I would give the whole world,
O Son of Mary, though it were a bad bargain.
Techt do Róim...
Techt do Róim,
mór saítho, bec torbai.
In rí chon-daigi i foss,
manim-bera latt, ní fogbai.
(going * to * Rome / a great deal * of hardship * little * of profit / the * king * that you seek * there / if not him - you carry * with you * not * you find)
Going to Rome,
great hardship, little profit.
You won’t find the king you seek there
unless you take him with you.
Ro·cúala ní·tabair eochu ar dúana...
Ro·cúala ní·tabair eochu ar dúana;
do·beir a n-í as dúal dó: bó.
(I have heard * not gives * horses * for * poems/ gives * the * thing * that is * natural * for him * a cow)
I have heard he doesn’t give horses for poems;
he gives the thing that fits his nature: a cow.
Clocán binn...
Clocán binn
benar i n-aidchi gaíthe:
ferr limm dul ina dáil
indás i ndáil mná baíthe.
(little bell * sweet / (that) is rung * in * a night * of wind / was * better * with me * going * in its * meeting / than * in * meeting * of woman * lustful)
A sweet little bell
that is rung on a windy night:
I would rather go to meet it
than to meet a lustful woman.
Cen áinius
Cen áinius
in gním hí do-rigé
an ro-charus ro-cráidius.
(without * pleasure / the * deed * it * (that) I have done / that * which I have loved * I have tormented)
No pleasure
in the deed I’ve done:
the one I’ve loved I’ve pained.
Am gáeth i mmuir...
Am gáeth i mmuir,
Am tonn trethan,
Am fuaim mara…
(I am * wind * in * sea / I am * wave * of stormy sea / I am * sound * of sea)
I am a wind on the sea,
I am a wave of the tempest,
I am the sound of the sea…