Pangur Bán
This poem was found in the margins of a manuscript in the Monastery
of St Paul, Carinthia, Austria. It seems to have been written by an Irish
monk, sometime around the ninth century.
English Translations by Frank O'Connor and Eavan
Boland
- Messe [ocus] Pangur bán,
- cechtar nathar fria saindán;
- bíth a menma-sam fri seilgg,
- mu menma céin im saincheirdd
- Caraim-se fós, ferr cach clú,
- oc mu lebrán léir ingnu;
- ní foirmtech frimm Pangur bán,
- caraid cesin a maccdán.
- Ó ru-biam scél cén scis
- innar tegdias ar n-oéndis,
- táithiunn dichríchide clius
- ní fris 'tarddam ar n-áthius.
- Gnáth-huaraib ar greassaib gal
- glenaid luch ina lín-sam;
- os me, du-fuit im lín chéin
- dliged ndoraid cu n-dronchéill.
- Fúachaid-sem fri freaga fál
- a rosc a nglése comlán;
- fúachimm chéin fri fégi fis
- mu rosc réil, cesu imdis.
- Fáelid-sem cu n-déne dul,
- hi nglen luch ina gérchrub;
- hi-tucu cheist n-doraid n-dil,
- os mé chene am fáelid.
- Cia beimini amin nach ré
- ní derban cách a chéle;
- mait le cechtar nár a dán
- subaigthiud a óenurán.
- Hé fesin as choimsid dáu
- in muid du-n-gní cach óenláu;
- do thabairt doraid du glé
- for mumud céin am messe.