An Eala Bhàn
Gur muladach a tha mi,
'S mo chridhe 'n sàs aig bròn
Bhon an uair a dh'fhàg mi
Beanntan àrd a' cheò,
Gleanntanan a' mhànrain,
Nan loch,
nam bàgh 's nan òb,
'S an eala bhàn tha snàmh orra
Gach là air bheil mi 'n tòir.
A Mhagaidh na biodh cùram ort,
A rùin ged gheibhinn bàs -
Cò againn ann am measg an t-sluaigh
A mhaireas buan gu bràth?
Chan eil sinn uile ach air chuairt,
Mar dhìthein buaile dh'fhàs
Bheir siantannan na bliadhna sìos
'S cha tog a' ghrian an-àird.
Tha mise 'n seo 's mo shùil san iar
Nuair chrom a' ghrian san t-sàl;
Mo bheannachd leig mi às a dèidh
Ged thrèig i mi cho tràth,
Gun fhios am faic mi màireach i
Nuair dhìreas i gu h-àrd,
Is iomairt lann gu bhith ri chèil'
Nuair 's lèir dhuinn beul an là.
Ach ma tha e 'n dàn dhomh
On bhlàr gun till mi beò
Is gu faic mi 'n t-àite
San deach ar n-àrach òg
An sin bidh crathadh làmhan ann
Is bilean blàth toirt phòg
'S mo ghealltanas bi pàighte dhut
Le fàinne chur mu d' mheòir.
Oidhche mhath leat fhèin, a rùin,
Nad leabaidh chùbhraidh bhlàth;
Dèan cadal sàmhach air a chùil
Dèan dùsgadh sunndach slàn.
Tha mise 'n seo san truinnsidh fhuar
S nam chluasan fuaim a' bhàis,
Gun dùil ri faighinn às le buaidh
S tha 'n cuan cho buan ri shnàmh.
The Fair Swan
I feel desolate,
my heart seared by sorrow,
since I left
the high misty hills,
the beguiling glens
of loch, bay and strome,
and the fair swan who stays there
and I pursue unceasingly.
Maggie, my love, do not grieve
even if I die -
where is the man among us
who is immortal?
We are all of us on a brief journey,
just like the field flower that grows
and succumbs to the changing season,
the sun no longer able to able to revive it.
I am here gazing westwards
since the sun sank in the sea.
I took my sincere farewell of her,
feeling she left me too soon
and not knowing if I shall see her again tomorrow
as she rises skywards,
for battle will be joined
when we see the glimmer of day.
If fate allows
that I get back alive
and once again see the place
where I was brought up,
we will be there clasping hands,
warm lips exchanging kisses,
and my promise to you will be sealed with a ring on your finger.
Goodnight my love,
in your warm fragrant bed,
a quiet sleep to you
and a joyous wholesome awakening.
I am here in a cold trench,
the sounds of death constantly in my ears,
with little hope of emerging victorious,
and the sea is too wide to swim.
- published: 09 Nov 2009
- views: 7307