I slack on posting and taking pictures, but oh, how I succeed at reading–and particularly reading and loving poetry.  Lest this tradition fall by the wayside, the most apt poem for Imbolc, this day, February first.  It’s my beloved Mom’s birthday, and we have a light dusting of snow, and I can’t get my mind off this piece in the Book of Leinster.  The book is in Trinity College Dublin, and I used to moon over its pages every few days.  This is on one of them. I’ve included Kuno Meyer’s classic translation  below.

Slán seiss a Brigit co mbuaid
for gruaid Lifi lir co tráig;
is tu banflaith buidnib sluaig
fil for clannaib Cathair Máir.

Ba móu epert in cach ré
airle Dé fri Herind uill.
indiu cid latt Liphe líg.
ropo thír caich ar n-uair.

O doréccu Cuirrech caín
assa tháeb na torc
[…]
tír;
dobeir macdath for cach meild
in cor foceird for cach ríg.

Ba rí Loegaire. co ler
Ailill Áne adbol cor
marid Currech cona lí
ní mair nach rí ro boí for.
Ni mair Labraid Longsech lán

iar tundsem a thríchait cáem.
i nDind Ríg ba hadba gnath.
o thuc bráth do Chobthach Cael.
Gabais Herind hua Luirc.
Oengus Roirend réim co sairc.

rolá flathi dara feirt
Maistiu munbrecc Moga Airt.
Ailend aurdairc álaind fál fuis.
fail mór flathi foa cnius .
ba mó foscnad tan atchess

Crimthan Coscrach ina crius.
Gáir a ínaig iar cech mbuaid.
im chúail claideb cumtaig drend
bríg a fían fri indna ngorm.
gloim a corn for cétaib cend.

Gles a hindeón comdad cúar.
clúas a duan do thengthaib bard;
bruth a fer fri comlund nglan.
cruth a ban fri óenach n-ard.
A hól meda for cech mbruig.

a graig allmar ilar tuath;
a seinm rond do rígaib fer
fo duilnib sleg cóicrind cruach.
A ceóil binni in cach thrath.
a fínbárc for tondgur fland;

a fross argait orddain máir.
a tuirc óir a tírib Gall.
Co muir nAlban amal chair
raith a orddan la cech ríg.
ru fer amaill im cech cain.

Alend alaind cona bríg.
Bressal ba rí for Eilgg.
Fiachra Fobrecc fein co ngairg.
Fergus Fairgge. Find mac Roith
carsat boith i nAlind aird.

Adrad lithu ni fiu clúas
solud na sén siabras bás.
is bréc uile iarna thur
indid Alend is dún fás.
Foglass a ngein tibes duit

a maigreid l tuaith cricha Cuirc.
di cech lín ro n-alt a húair
doringne luaith Liphi Luirc.
Currech Lifi lir co hor.
Currech Sétnai síth co ler.

is mor ríg fris rala cor.
Currech Corpri Nio Fer.
Cathair Már ba forgu delb.
reraig Herind ilar ndolb.
ce chutgáre oca ráith

ro scáich a ngal ilar fodb.
Fiachna Fomnae Bresal ran.
rerid sál co snigib sleg.
trichait ruirech réin cu cor
gabsat tír im Themair Breg.

Benna Iuchna álaind port
imma ndessid ilar fert.
fega latt i nAlmain aird
adba Thaidg meic Nuadat Necht.
Fodbae Feradaig fo mind.

immu nd-aigtís buidne bend.
a barr breglass a brat líg
is mór ríg rala dar cend.
Dunlang Fornacta ba fíal.
flaith fri Niall ro chathu cloí

ce adfeissed scel do neoch.
ni hé in bith ceta boi.
Brigaiss Illand im thuaith
tríchait catha fri cech ríg;
hua Ennai. ald fri nath.

nibu sluag cen rian ríg.
Ba rí Ailill ernad rath.
resi ndressed cath crodond cruaid.
Cormac mac Corpri. Colmán Mór
Brandub barc i mbatar sluaig.

Ba slicht flatha Faelan find.
Fiannamail fri forbud fland.
Bran mac Conaill co llín glond
ba si in tond dar cach n-ald.
A Brigit ‘s a tír atchiu.

is cach a úair immudrí
ro gab do chlú fora chlú
ind ríg is tu fordatá
Tathut bithlaith lasin Ríg
cen a tír i fail do rúaim.
a ue Bresail meic Déin.
i slan seiss a Brigit co mbuaid.

Kuno Meyer’s translation: 1912

Sit thou safely enthroned, triumphant Brigit, upon the side of Liffey far as the strand of the ebbing sea!

Thou art the sovereign lady with banded hosts that presides over the Children of Catháir the Great.

God’s counsel at every time concerning Virgin Erin is greater than can be told: though glittering Liffey is thine today, it has been the land of others in their turn.

When from its side I gaze upon the fair Curragh….The lot that has fallen to every king causes awe at each wreck

Logaire was king as far as the sea,–Ailill Áne, a mighty fate: the Curragh with its glitter remains–none of the kings remains that lived thereon.

Perfect Labraid Longsech lives no more, having trodden under foot his fair thirty years: since in Dinn Rig–`twas a wonted abode–he dealt doom to Cobthach the Slender.

Lore’s grandson, Oengus of Róiriu, seized the rule of Erin,….sway; Maistiu of the freckled neck, son of Mug Airt, through princes across their graves.

Fair-famed Alenn! Delightful knowledge! Many a prince is under its girth: it is greater than can be fathomed when Crimthan the Victorious was seen in its bosom.

The shout of triumph heard there after each victory around a shock of swords, a mettlesome mass; the strength of its warrior-bands against the dark blue battle-array; the sound of its horns above hundreds of heads.

The tuneful ring of its even-colored bent anvils, the sound of songs heard there from the tongues of bards; the ardour of its men at the glorious contest; the beauty of its women at the stately gathering.

Drinking of mead there in every home-stead; its noble steeds, many tribes; the jingle of chains unto kings of men under blades of five-edged bloody spears.

The sweet strains heard there at every hour, its wine-barque upon the purple flood; its shower of silver of great splendor; its torques of gold from the lands of the Gaul.

Far as the sea of Britain the high renown of each king has sped like a meteor: delightful Alenn with its might has made sport of every law.

Bresal Bree was king over Elg, Fiachra Fobree with a fierce band of warriors; Ferus of the Sea, Finn son of Roth they loved to dwell in lofty Alenn.

Worship of auguries is not worth listening to, nor of spells and auspices that betoken death; all is vain when it is probed, since Alenn is a deserted doom.

Brigit is the smile that smiles on you from the plain…of Core’s land; of each generation which it reared in turn Liffey of Lore has made ashes.

The Currah of Liffey to the brink of the main, the Curragh of Sétna, a land of peace as far as the sea,–many is the king whom the Curragh of Carbre Nia-fer has overthrown.

Catháir the Great– he was the choicest of shapes –ruled Erin of many hues: though you cry upon him at his rath, his prowess of many weapons has vanished.

Fiachna of Fomuin, glorious Bresal ruled the sea with showers of spears: thirty great kings to the edge of the sea seized land around Tara of Bregia.

The Peaks of Iuchna, delightful place, around which many graves have settled behold in lofty Allen the abode of Tadg, son of Nuada Necht!

The apparel of Feradach–a goodly diadem–around whom crested bands would move; his blue-speckled helmet, his shining mantle,–many a king he overthrew.

Dunlang of Fornochta, he was generous, a prince who routed battles against the sons of Niall: though one were to tell the tale to all, this is not the world that was once.

Illann with his tribe launched thirty battles against every king, Enna’s grandson, a rock against terror, it was not a host without a king’s rule.

Ailill was a king that would bestow favour, against whom a fierce blood-dark battle-host would rise: Cormac, Carbre, Colman the Great, Brandub, a barque in which were hosts.

Faelan the Fair was a track of princeship, Fianamail with….; Braiin, son of Conall with many deeds, he was the wave over every cliff.

Oh Brigit whose land I behold, on which each one in turn has moved about, thy fame has outshone the fame of the king–thou art over them all.

Thou hast everlasting rule with the king apart from the land wherein is thy cemetery. Grand-child of Bresal son of Dian, sit thou safely enthroned, triumphant Brigit!

 

 

Tags: celtic studies, imbolc, poetry

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