Carmina Gadelica #60
Since yesterday's table didn't work out so great, I'm dispensing with it for today's carol.
Is mise Bannag, is mise Bochd,
Is mise Fear na h-oidhche nochd.
I am Gift, I am Poor,
I am Man of this night.
Is mise Mac Dè anns an dorus,
Di-luain air thuaradh nam bannag.
I am Son of God at the door,
Moon-god of a quantity of gifts.
Is uasal Brìde mhin-gheal air a glùn,
Is uasal Rìgh nan dùl 'na h-uchd.
Noble is gentle Brìde on her knee,
Noble is the King of Elements at her breast.
Mac na gile, Mac na grèine,
Mac Moire mòr na Dè-meine,
Son of the moon, Son of the sun,
Son of great Mary of the God-mind.
Crois air gach guala dheis,
Mis' is dorus, fosgail thusa.
A cross on each right shoulder,
I am at the door, open thou.
Is lèir 'omh tulach, is lèir 'omh traigh,
Is lèir 'omh ainghean tighinn air snamh.
I see the hills, I see the strand,
I see the angels coming floating.
Is lèir 'omh calaman, cuimir, caon,
Tighinn le caomh is càirdeas duinn.
I see the dove, shapely, benign,
Coming with kindness and friendship to us.
A short note on the translation - there is a translation provided in the Carmina Gadelica, I don't always agree with it. I've found some typos in the Gaelic text, and some things that just don't make sense unless you figure that the recorder miss-heard the original. Some of the words are translated using an English gloss with which I don't agree which leads me to believe that the translator/ recorder was from a different part of the Gaelic-speaking Scotland (and they didn't have the benefit of a searchable Dwelly!!)
(okay, so maybe NOT so short a note)
In the above carol, the word Bride is used in the Gaelic (capitalised, sans fada - there are none used in the text at all). The original translates that as Bride, I used it as a name, that is, Brigid. The Gaelic word for bride is bana-phòsadh. Di-luain is Monday, and the fourth line Diluain air thuradh nam bannag is translated as "on Monday seeking gifts". Maybe that made sense to the Gael? There is an entry Diluain bannaig = the first Monday after Christmas, but "Moon God" would be Dia-luain and tuaradh means 'a quantity'. air thuradh nam bannag could also mean "deserving of gifts".
anyway, if you go check the original (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg.htm) you'll see a number of differences between my translations and those provided. That's the reason.