Lyrics: |
English Translation: |
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Cha b'e sneachda 's an reothadh o thuath |
It wasn't the northern snow or frost |
Cha b'e an crannadh geur fuar on ear |
Nor the sharp, withering east wind |
Cha b'e an t-uisge 's na gaillionn on iar |
Nor rain and westerly storms |
Ach an galar a bhlian on deas |
But the plague that came from the south |
Blàth, duilleach, stoc agus freumh |
To blight blossom, leaf, stalk and root |
Cànan mo threubh is mo shluaidh |
The language of my people and my race |
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Sèist: |
Chorus (after each verse): |
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruim gu siar |
Come to us, come with me to the west |
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nam Fèinn |
And hear the language of heroes |
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruim gu siar |
Come to us, come with me to the west |
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nan Gàidheal |
And hear the language of the Gael |
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Nuair chithear fear fèilidh 's a' ghleann |
If a kilted man would be seen in the glen |
Bu chinnteach gur Gàidhlig a chainnt |
Certainly Gaelic was his language |
Nuair spìon iad a fhreumh às an fhonn |
Then they tore his roots from the land |
An àite Gàidhlig tha cànan a' Ghoill |
And replaced Gaelic with the language of the Lowlander |
Is Ghaidhealtachd creadhal nan sonn |
And the Highlands, once the cradle of the brave |
'S tìr "mhajors" is "cholonels" 'n-diugh innt' |
Is now a land of foreign majors and colonels |
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Thoir a-nuas dhuinn na coinnleirean òir |
Bring out the golden candlesticks |
'S annta càraibh na coinnlean geal, cèir |
And set up the white-wax candles |
Lasaibh suas iad an seòmar a' bhròin |
Light them in the room of mourning |
Taigh aire seann chànan a' Ghàidheil |
Hold a wake for the ancient tongue of the Gael |
Se siud o chionn fhad' thuirt an nàmh |
That is what the enemy once said |
Ach fhathast tha beò cànan a' Gàidheal |
But the language of the Gael lives on |
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Ged a theich i le a beath' às na glinn |
Though it fled for its life from the glens |
Ged na cluinnear a-nis muigh i san Dùn |
And can no longer be heard in the Dun |
O Dhùthaich Mhic Aoidh fada tuath |
From Mackay county far in the north |
Gu ruig thu Druim Uachdair nam bò |
Down to Drumochter of cattle |
'S iathadh nan Eileanan Siar |
But in the Western Isles |
Si fhathast ann ciad chainnt an t-slòigh |
It is still the first language of the people |