Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 1, 1893

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
Verry — Oidhche-Eheill-Mhoire — during the 17th
and 18th centuries. "They were preserved,"
according to the preface, " in uncouth-looking,
smoke-stained volumes, in low farmhouses and
cottages situated in mountain gills and glens ;
and they constitute the genuine literature of
Elian Vannin."
To the Scottish and Irish Gaels they ought
to be interesting, being written in a dialect of
their common Gaelic language, of which little. I
am afraid, is known to either race. In the hope
that your Gaelic readers may hud it interesting,
I subjoin a portion ot the shortest I could find
in the book, along with a translation, also taken
from the book ; aud to allow of a comparison
being made between the two dialects, I give a
transliteration, done by myself, into Scottish
Gaelic, as far as a very short acquaintanceship
with Manx, as written, enabled me to do it.
Eiderslie MALCOLM MacFarLANE.
DY VE MIE RISH NY BOGHDYN.
(Scruit ayns yn vlein 1725).
My chaarjyn deyr, dy moghey jiu
Ta shin er choyrt meeiteil,
Dy chummal seose ayns cooinaghtyn
Yn laa rug Creest sy theihll.
Dy chummal seose yn cliaghtey mie
Va ec ny Nooghyn roin,
Sampleyr dy graili daag ad nyn-yei,
As vouesyn haink eh hooin.
Nagh Haunysagh yn shilley ve
Ayns dorraghys syn oie,
Yn chiamble shoh va cha gerjoil,
Cur moylley as gloyr da Jee.
Yn oltagh bea share shynney lesh,
Sliee, giastallys as graili —
Jeeagh kys ren oo oo-hene y reir,
Eisht erdyn Ullick chaie.
Vel oo er choyrt mygeayrt dty vlein
Lesh ymmyrkey gyn loght ?
Vel oo er hoilchinys veih Creest
Bannaght slayntoil ny moght ?
My t' ou er choyrt aggair da 'n voght
Ta ree ny moght er loo ;
Dy ren oo eisht coyrt oghsan da 'n
'Fer ren yn seihll y chroo.
As padjeryn y cloan gyn ayr,
Hig seose gys eddiu Yee ;
Ny jeirnyn ta er y ven-treoghe,
Dy geyre nee gaccan dt' oi.
Smooinee er shoh, as ceau er sooyl
Ooilley kiarail y teihll —
Goaill toshiaght as coyrt jerrey, neesht,
Fer kionnee ooilley 'n seihll. — Amen.
DO BHI MAITH RIS NA BOCHDAN.
(Sgriobhte anns a' bhliadhna 1725).
Mo chairdean dear, gu moch an diugh
Ta sinn air toirt meet-e\\,
Do chumail suas an cuimhneachdan
An latha mgadh Criost *san tsaoghal.
Do chumail suas an cleachdadh maith
Bha aig na naomhachan romhainn ;
Samplair de ghradh d' fha-g iad 'nan de'igh,
'Us bhuathsan thainig e hugainn.
Nach flathanasach an sealladh bha e,
An dorchadas san oidhche,
An chiamble so bha cho gerjoil,
'Cur nioladh 'us gl&ir do Dhia.
An altachadh beatha 's fhearr 's aithne leis,
Sith, yiastalas 'us gradh —
Feuch gu 'n d' rinn thu thu fhein a reir
Eisht air do 'n Nollaig a chaidh.
'Bheil thu air toirt mil 'n cuairt do bhliadhna
Le iomarcadh gun lochd ?
'Bheil thu air thoilltinneas bhuaidh Criost
Beannachd slainteil nam bochd ?
Ma ta thu air toirt agair do 'n bhochd,
Ta righ nam bochd air luth ;
Do rinn thu eisht toirt aehmhasan do 'n
Fhear rinn an saoghal a chruthachadh.
'Us paidearau na cloinne gun athair,
Tliig suas gu aodanu Dhe ;
Na deuran ta air a bhean-truaigh,
Gu geur ni gacau a'd aghaidh.
Smuainich air so, 'us ceau air siubhal
Uile care-eil an t-saoghail —
'Gabhail toiseachd 'us toirt deireadh nis,
Fear -ceannaich uile 'n saoghal.
BE GOOD TO THE POOR.
(Written in the year 1725).
My dear friends, early this day
We have met together
To hold up in remembrance
The day that Christ was born.
To hold up the good practice
The Saints had before us ;
Example of love they left behind,
And from them came to us.
How heavenly the sight it was
On darkness of the night,
This news that was heard so joyful
Giving praise and glory to God.
The refreshment in life he deems best,
Peace, charity and love —
See how did you yourself conduct
Then since last Christmas.