t h e  g r e a t  b o o k  o f  g a e l i c

a n  l e a b h a r  m ò r

Ealaíontóir / Artist: Deirdre O’ Mahony
Peannaire / Calligrapher: Réiltín Murphy
Aistritheoir / Translator: Frank O Connor
Ainmníodh ag / Nominated by: Biddy Jenkinson

 

M’anam do sgar riomsa a-raoir,

calann ghlan dob ionnsa i n-uaigh;

rugadh bruinne maordha mín

is aonbhla lín uime uainn.

Do tógbhadh sgath aobhdha fhionn

a-mach ar an bhfaongha bhfann:

laogh mo chridhise do chrom,

craobh throm an tighise thall.

M’aonar a-nocht damhsa, a Dhé,

olc an saoghal camsa ad-chí;

dob álainn trom an taoibh naoi

do bhaoi sonn a-raoir, a Rí.

Truagh leam an leabasa thiar,

mo pheall seadasa dhá snámh;

tárramair corp seada saor

is folt claon, a leaba, id lár.

Do bhí duine go ndreich moill

ina luighe ar leith mo phill;

gan bharamhail acht bláth cuill

don sgáth duinn bhanamhail bhinn.

Maol Mheadha na malach ndonn

mo dhabhach mheadha a-raon rom;

mo chridhe an sgáth do sgar riom,

bláth mhionn arna car do chrom.

Táinig an chlí as ar gcuing,

agus dí ráinig mar roinn:

corp idir dá aisil inn

ar dtocht don fhinn mhaisigh mhoill.

Leath mo throigheadh, leath mo thaobh,

a dreach mar an droighean bán,

níor dhísle neach dhí ná dhún,

leath mo shúl í, leath mo lámh.

Leath mo chuirp an choinneal naoi;

’s guirt riom do roinneadh, a Rí;

agá labhra is meirtneach mé —

dob é ceirtleath m’anma í.

Mo chéadghrádh a dearc mhall mhór,

déadbhán agus cam a cliabh:

nochar bhean a colann caomh

ná a taobh ré fear romham riamh.

Fiche bliadhna inne ar-aon,

fá binne gach bliadhna ar nglór,

go rug éinleanabh déag dhún,

an ghéag úr mhéirleabhar mhór.

Gé tú, nocha n-oilim ann,

ó do thoirinn ar gcnú chorr;

ar sgaradh dár roghrádh rom,

falamh lom an domhnán donn.

Ón ló do sáidheadh cleath corr

im theach nochar ráidheadh rum —

ní thug aoighe d’ortha ann

dá barr naoidhe dhorcha dhunn.

A dhaoine, ná coisgidh damh;

faoidhe ré cloistin ní col;

táinig luinnchreach lom ’nar dteagh —

an bhruithneach gheal donn ar ndol.

Is é rug uan í ’na ghrúg,

Rí na sluagh is Rí na ród;

beag an cion do chúl na ngéag

a héag ó a fior go húr óg.

Ionmhain lámh bhog do bhí sonn,

a Rí na gclog is na gceall:

ach! an lámh nachar logh mionn,

crádh liom gan a cor fám cheann.

I parted from my life last night,
A woman’s body sunk in clay:
The tender bosom that I loved
Wrapped in a sheet they took away.

The heavy blossom that had lit
The ancient boughs is tossed and blown;
Hers was the burden of delight
That long had weighed the old tree down.

And I am left alone tonight
And desolate is the world I see,
For lovely was that woman’s weight
That even last night had lain on me.

Weeping I look upon the place
Where she used to rest her head,
For yesterday her body’s length
Reposed upon you too, my bed.

Yesterday that smiling face
Upon one side of you was laid
That could match the hazel bloom
In its dark delicate sweet shade.

Maelva of the shadowy brows
Was the mead-cask at my side;
Fairest of all flowers that grow
Was the beauty that has died.

My body’s self deserts me now,
The half of me that was her own,
Since all I knew of brightness died
Half of me lingers, half is gone.

The face that was like hawthorn bloom
Was my right foot and my right side;
And my right hand and right eye
Were no more than hers who died.

Poor is the share of me that’s left
Since half of me died with my wife;
I shudder at the words I speak;
Dear God, that girl was half my life.

And our first look was her first love;
No man had fondled ere I came
The little breasts so small and firm
And the long body like a flame.

For twenty years we shared a home,
Our converse milder with each year;
Eleven children in its time
Did that tall stately body bear.

It was the King of hosts and roads
Who snatched her from me in her prime:
Little she wished to leave alone
The man she loved before her time.

Now King of churches and of bells,
Though never raised to pledge a lie
That woman’s hand - can it be true? -
No more beneath my head will lie.