Ní dlig ferann fer cen treoir...

Ní dlig ferann fer cen treoir,
ní dlig degairm fer cen gliaid,
ní dlig cerchaill cenn co mbeoil,
ní dlig feoil fer cen scíain.

(not * deserves * land * man * without * energy /
not * deserves * good armament * man * without * fight /
not * deserves * pillow * head * with * grease /
not * deserves * meat * man * without * knife)

A man without energy doesn’t deserve land,
a man without fight doesn’t deserve good weapons,
a greasy head does not deserve a pillow,
a man without a knife doesn’t deserve meat.

A quatrain found in the margin of the manuscript Harleian 5280, edited and translated by Meyer in ZCP II.225. I have followed Meyer’s suggestion to supply “fer” in the first line, which preserves the syllable count, and have normalized the spelling somewhat. See also maxims beginning “dligid” and “dlighidh” in this collection.

Topics: Verse Maxims & Wise Counsel