The Characters Speak

Is mór ní súigios lesrach banscáile.

Is mór ní súigios lesrach banscáile!

(is * great * thing * that absorbs * thighs * of woman)

A woman’s thighs can absorb a lot!

Dámadh ór in duille donn
chuiris di in chaill,
dámad airget in gheal-tonn
ro thidhluicfed Find.

(if were * gold * the * leaf * brown /
that puts * f rom it * the * wood /
if were * silver * the * bright-wave /
would bestow * Finn)

If the brown leaves
that the trees shed were gold,
if the bright waves were silver,
Finn would give it all away.

(drink * for me)

Give me a drink!

Áluinn duille an liubhair-si,
psaltair Cháoimhghin cháidh.
Áille duille mh’iubhair-si
i nGlinn Bolcáin báin.

(beautiful * leaf * of the * book-this /
psalter * of Caoimhín * holy /
more beautiful * leaf * of my yew /
in * Gleann Bolcáin * fair)

Beautiful is the leaf of this book,
the psalter of holy Kevin.
More beautiful the leaf of my yew
in fair Glen Bolcáin.

(meet * faults * and * cooking pits * here * today)

Today has been a bloody shambles.

(is * help * in * timeliness)

That’s timely help! That was in the nick of time!

(by * truth * of our * conscience)

Upon our conscience! By what we deem right!

(I cannot see * their * fords * with * pools)

I can’t tell the ford from the deep water.

(not * for * posterior * of woman * indeed * I took * this)

I didn’t undertake this for a woman’s backside.

I will grind you * as * grinds * mill * fine-malt)

I will grind you the way a mill grinds malt!