This is an excerpt from "A theachtaire thig ón Róimh", a poem protesting a planned prohibition of the filidh.
| Early Modern Irish | My English translation |
|---|---|
| Moladh daoine is dó is moladh | Praise of people, and you, is praise |
| an neach do-ní a gcruthoghadh; | of the Spirit that does the creating; |
| ní bhí ar domhan ag duine | There is not one person in the world |
| ní acht moladh a mhíorbhuile. | that does not praise its marvels. |
| -- | -- |
| Gémadh bréag do bhiadh san duain, | Even if it's false, from being in a song, |
| is bréag bhuan ar bhréig dhiombuain; | it is a permanent falseness, not one that passes. |
| breag uile gidh créad an chrodh, | All is false, even cattle-riches; |
| bréag an duine da meantar. | the person is false, however complete. |
| -- | -- |
| Ní ba liaide ír ná each | Neither gold nor horses will be more numerous |
| ag duine dámadh doichleach; | for a person who does harm churlishly -- |
| gan sbéis i nduain ar domhan | without interest in a poem in the world |
| dá mbuaibh ní ba buanughadh. | if it isn't breeding cattle. |
| -- | -- |
| Dá mbáidhthó an dán, a dhaoine, | If the Art is rejected, people -- |
| gan seanchas, gan seanlaoidhe, | Without history, without old lays, |
| go bráth, acht athair gach fhir, | forever even the father of all men |
| rachaidh cách gan a chluinsin. | will go raiding without anyone hearing. |
| -- | -- |
| Dá dtráigheadh an tobar fis, | If the well of knowledge dries up -- |
| ní bhéarthaoi muna mbeimis, | It is not clever for us to be denied |
| do dheighfhearaibh saora a sean, | your nobility, highborn from of old, |
| craobha geinealaigh Gaoidheal. | a genealogical branch of the Gael. |
| -- | -- |
| Do bhiadh a n-iarmairt fhoda | Your denial of land to your descendants |
| do mhíleadhaibh mórbhoga -- | in great and gentle militance -- |
| folach a sgéal ní sgrios beag -- | Hiding the story is no small destruction, |
| gan fhios na bhfréamh ó bhfuilead. | [is to be] without the root's knowledge of the seed. |
| -- | -- |
| Folach cliathach agus cath | Hiding the skirmish and battle, |
| fear nÉireann dobudh easbhach; | man of Éire, is acting unlovingly -- |
| dá n-éis gémadh maith a méin | even if I were among those |
| gan sbeis i bhflaith ná i bhfírfhréimh. | without interest in the noble or in rooted men. |
| -- | -- |
| Gé tá marbh mairidh Guaire | Though he's dead, Guaire survives |
| 's Cú Chulainn na Craobhruaidhe; | and Cú Chulainn of the Royal Branch; |
| ó ló ta a nós thiar is thoir | west and east, in custom |
| atá fós Brian 'na bheathaidh. | Brian is still living there. |
| -- | -- |
| Beó ó mhaireas a moladh | Alive from living in praise |
| Conall agus Conchobhar; | [are] Conall and Conchobhar; |
| a nós 'na bheathaidh a bhus, | living there in sound, in custom, |
| nocha deachaidh fós Fearghus. | Fergus is not [dead] yet. |
| -- | -- |
| Lugh do marbhadh le Mac Cuill | Lugh, killed by Mac Cuill, |
| ní mhaireann cnáimh na choluinn, | [his] bones not surviving the prohibitions -- |
| a nós, ar ndul don domhan, | after departing from the earth, in custom |
| fós do Lugh is leasoghadh. | Lugh is still preserved. |
| -- | -- |
| Muna leasaighdis laoidhe | For us, the lays are preserved |
| a ndearnsad, gér dheaghdhaoine, | to perform, ____ noble people; |
| i bhfad anonn do bhiadh brat | [woven] in the length of the cloak of your being |
| ar Niall, ar Chonn, ar Chormac. | is Niall, is Conn, is Cormac. |
| -- | -- |
| Ríoghradh Chruachna is Chaisil Cuirc, | Kings of Cruacha and Castle Cork -- |
| na filidh fréamhna a lubhguirt, | the poets' roots from the herb garden, |
| slata a teaghlach na dTrí mBrogh, | stems from the household of the Three Castles, |
| Dá Thí Theamhrach is Tuathal. | Dá Thí of Teamhra and Tuathal. |
| -- | -- |
| Ní bhiadh muna mbeith an dín | If it weren't for us, there wouldn't be art |
| ag cruit théidbhinn ná ag tiompán | on the tuneful-stringed harp or the lute, |
| fios deighfhir ar n-a dhola, | knowledge of noblemen at their deaths, |
| ná a einigh ná a eangnamha. | neither of [generosity?] nor of fighting skill. |
| -- | -- |
| Fios a seanchais ná a saoire | Knowledge of history does not liberate; |
| ní fhuighbhidís ard daoine | neither does serving the high folk -- |
| léigidh so i ndán do dhéanaimh, | neglecting ease in doing the Art for you, |
| nó no slán dá seinsgéalaibh. | or indeed, health, in balladsinging. |
| -- | -- |
| Dá mbáidhthí seanchas chlann gCuinn, | If denied the history of the Children of Conn |
| agus bhar nduana, a Dhomhnuill, | and poems about you, Domhnaill, |
| clann bhar gconmhaor 's bhar gclann, | the children of your dogkeeper and your children |
| ann dobudh comhdhaor comhshaor. | will there be equally bound, equally free. |
| -- | -- |
| Fir Éireann, más é a rothol | Men of Éire, [until we achieve] |
| ionnarba na healathan, | escape from our banishment, |
| gach Gaoidheal budh gann a bhreath, | every Gael is short of beauty; |
| gach saoirfhear ann budh aitheach. | every nobleman there is a churl. |
| -- | -- |
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