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English Translation: |
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'S e mis' bhith fada bho thìr m' eòlais |
Being so far from the land I know |
Chuir le bròn gu gluasad mi |
Is what has stirred me in my sadness |
Bhon tha an cianalas gam leòn |
Because nostalgia wounds me |
Gun eòlaich a bhith mun cuairt orm |
Since there are none around me of the folk I know |
Feuchaidh mi ri teud mo bheòil |
I will touch the harp-strings of my voice |
An cuir i 'n òrdugh duanag dhomh |
To see if it can fashion a little song for me |
Air Uibhist ghleannach, ghorm an fheòir |
About green, grassy Uist of the glens |
'S air pàirt de dhòigh an t-sluaigh a th' ann |
And something of the way of the people who live there |
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Mullach Langais nuair a chì mi |
When I see the crest of Langais |
Bheir i inntinn shuaimhneach dhomh |
My spirits rise |
'S aotrom a ghearras mi sìnteag |
My leap will be light |
Dìreadh ris a' ghualainn aic' |
As I climb its shoulder |
Nochdadh sìos ri tìr an aigh |
Looking at the splendid land below me |
'S ri taighean blàth an t-sluaigh a th' ann |
With the houses of the warm-hearted folk who live there |
'S ri Eilean Mhorghaidh air an tràigh |
Seeing Morghaidh on the strand |
Ged 's tric muir-làn 'ga chuartachadh |
The island that the full tide so often goes 'round |
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'M Paibeil far an do bhlais mi tràth |
Paible was the place where I first |
Air bàidh na màthair bhuanghradhaich |
Tasted a mother's unfailing love |
Far am fàs an t-eòrna 's fheàrr |
Where the best barley grows |
Gu diasach, gràinneach, dualanach |
Braided, full-eared, rich in grain |
Dh'àraich iomadh laoch gun sgàig |
The place that nutures many a valiant warrior |
'S na bàird a b' fheàrr a chuala sinn |
And the best bards that we have ever heard of |
Bidh e tighinn gum chuimhne ghnàth |
The warmth and kindness I found there |
Gach coibhneas bàidh a fhuair mi ann |
Ever come to my mind |
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Bu bhrèagha sealladh sa mhìos Mhàigh |
In the month of May, it was a beautiful sight |
Na raontan làn de ghruagaichean |
To see the fields |
Air an aghaidh fiamh a' ghàire |
Full of smiling girls |
'S air an gàirdean buaraichean |
With spancels on their arms |
Dol dhan bhuailidh leis na laoigh |
Going to the cattle pen with the calves |
Nì geum cho binn 's a chuala sinn |
Who call most sweetly |
An crodh gam freagairt aig a' chuidh' |
And to hear the great lowing of the cows |
'S gum b' àrd a chluinnte nuallraich iad |
At the fold as they answered them |
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An Cille Mhoire 'n am an òrduigh |
In Kilmuir at Communion time |
'S an àm nam bòrd a chuartachadh |
When the Communion tables are being served |
Dhìreamaid ri leathad Phòil |
We would climb up Paul's slope |
'S bhiodh sealladh brònach, truasal ann |
And there would be a sad and sorrowful sight |
Sean is òg a' sileadh dheòir |
Young and old weeping |
Air tolmain bhòidheach uainbhratach |
On beautiful hillocks, carpeted in green |
'S a' smaointinn air luchd-dàimh nach beò |
Thinking of loved ones no longer living |
Bhith siud fo 'n fhòd air fuarachadh |
Lying there cold in the ground |
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Mnathan ciatach, tosdach, ciallach |
Excellent, sensible, reserved women |
Modhail, rianail, luathlamhach |
Courteous, orderly, skillful |
Càite nise 'n cualas riamh |
Could it be said that niggardliness |
A' spìocaireachd ri fuaite riu'? |
Was ever found in them? |
'S minig a thaisbean iad am fialachd |
Often did they show their generosity |
'S iomadh dhìomh le truacantas |
In many an act of kindness |
Gur tric thug iad don acrach biadh |
Often did they give food to the hungry |
Is àite-dìon bhon fhuachd thoirt dha |
And a warm place to shelter in |
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Tìr mo dhaoine, tìr mo ghràidh |
Land of my people, land of my love |
Ged theireadh càch gur duanaidh i |
Although others might say it is a dreary land |
Cha do dhealraich grian air àite |
The sun has never shone |
Leth cho àlainn snuadh rithe |
On a place half as beautiful |
'S ged nach fhaicear innte craobh |
And though it is treeless |
Gu faicear fraoch is luachair innt' |
There are heather and rushes |
Agus muran dubhghorm na raon |
And the dark-green bent grass of the fields there |
'S iad taobh ri taobh gu cuaileanach |
Growing in tresses side by side |
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Tha cuid sliabh mar bha iad riamh |
Its sides are as they ever were |
Gu fasgach, feurach, fuaranach |
Sheltered and grassy and full of springs |
Cnocach, gleannach, sgorach, grianach |
With knolls and glens and crevices |
Lusach, riasgach, cruachanach |
Sunny, covered with herbage, tussocky and humped |
Far am faigh a' chaora dìol |
Hillsides where the sheep finds abundance |
'S gun èis gum biadh i h-uan orra |
And where she can feed her lamb without stint |
'S bheir iad daonnan don fhiadh |
Hillsides that give food and drink |
A dheoch, a bhiadh, 's a chluasagan |
And pillows to the deer |
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Tha 'n sealladh mu dheireadh den ghrèin |
The last glimpse of the sun |
'S i 'n dèidh gach speur a chuartachadh |
After it has circled the whole sky |
Air fhaicinn na mo dhùthaich fhèin |
May be seen from my land |
'S i moch ag èirigh suas oirre |
Just before it rises again on it |
Crìochnaichidh mi 'n diugh mo sgeul |
I must cut short my account for today |
'S e tìm a ghèill san uair seo dhomh |
Since my time has gone |
'S ged gheibhinn dusan saoghal fèidh |
And even if I lived twelve times as long as a stag |
Cha chuir mi 'n cèill gach buaidh a th' oirr' |
I could not recount all the beauties of Uist |