The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2463   Message #2693595
Posted By: Lee-Anne
04-Aug-09 - 01:08 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
Take it back. I've seen up to ten verses, but here are the seven verses given in this reference:

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste, brùite;
'S tric na deoir a ruith o m' shùilean ;
An tig thu nochd, no 'm bi mo dhùil riut ?
No 'n dùin mi 'n dorus, le osna thursaich ?

Broken-hearted I droop and languish,
And frequent tears show my bosom's anguish ;
Shall I expect thee to-night to cheer me ?
Or close the door, sighing sad and weary ?

'S tric mi foighneachd de luchd nam bàta,
Am fac lad thu, no 'm bheil thu sàbhailt :
Ach 's aun a tha gach aon diubh 'g ràite,
Gur gòrach mi, ma thug mi gràdh dhuit.

From passing boatmen I 'd fain discover
If they have heard of, or seen my lover;
They never tell me — I 'm only chided,
And told my heart has been sore misguided.

Gheall mo leannan domh gùn dhe 'n t-sioda,
Gheall esiod agus bi-eacan rìomhach;
Fainn' òir anns am faicinn ìomhaigh;
Ach 's eagal learn gun dean e di-chuimhn'.

My lover promised to bring his lady
A silken gown and a tartan plaidie,
A ring of gold which would show his semblance,
But, ah ! I fear me for his remembrance.

Ged a thuirt iad gu'n robh thu aotrom,
Cha do lughadaich siod mo ghaol ort;
Bi'dh tu 'm aisling anns an òidhche,
Is anns a mhaduinn bi'dh mi 'g ad fhoighneaehd.

That thou 'rt a rover my friends have told me,
But not the less to my heart I hold thee;
And every night in my dreams I see thee,
And still at dawn will the vision flee me.

Thug mi gaol duit 's cha 'n fhaod mi àicheadh ;
Cha ghaol bliadhna, 's cha ghaol ràidhe;
Ach gaol a thòisich nuair bha mi 'm phàisde,
'S nach searg a ehaoidh, gus an elaoidh am bàs mi.

I may not hide it — my heart's devotion
Is not a season's britf emotion;
Thy love in childhood began to seize me,
And ne'er shall fade until death release me.

Tha mo chàirdean gu trie ag innseadh,
Gu'm feum mi t'aogas a ehur air dì-chuimhn';
Ach tha 'n comhairle dhomh cho diomhain,
'S bhi pilleadh mara 's i tabhairt lionaidh.

My friends oft tell me that I must sever
All thought of thee from my heart for ever;
Their words are idle — my passion 's swelling,
Untamed as ocean, can brook no quelling.

Bi'dh mi tuille gu tùrsach, deurach,
Mar eala bhàn 's i an déigh a reubadh ;
Guileag bàis aic' air loehan feurach,
Is each uile an deigh a tréigsinn.

My heart is weary with ceaseless wailing,
Like wounded swan when her strength is failing.
Her notes of anguish the lake awaken,
By aU her comrades at last forsaken.

The PDF has a bit of sheet music as well.