"Chi Mi Bhuam"
(I See in the Distance)


Recording by Karen Matheson
Album: Down River (2006)


Chi mi bhuam, fada bhuam
Chi mi bhuam ri muir-làn
Chi mi Muile nam beann fuar
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil

Chi mi mullach nam beann mór
Anns an òg-mhadainn aigh
An t-aon as airde dhiubh nan còrr
'S badan ceò air a bàrr
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil

Chì mi ghucag air an fhraoch
Chì mi'n caorann fo bhlàth
Chì mi uisge glan nam beann
Tigh'nn 'na dheann leis gach màm
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil

Tir a' bharraich, tìr nan stuadh
'S tric a luaidh ort na bàird
'S nuair a thug mi riut mo chùl
Rinn mi dùsgadh gu dàn
'S bidh mi luaidh ort gu bràth

Chi mi bhuam, fada bhuam
Chi mi bhuam ri muir-làn
Chi mi Muile nam beann fuar
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil
Fada bhuam thar an t-sàil



I see in the distance, far from me,
I see in the distance to the high tide mark,
I see Mull of the cold high hills
far from me across the sea,
far from me across the sea.

I see the summit of the big hills
in the bay early in the morning,
the highest one of all of them,
a spot of mist on its peak
far from me across the sea.

I see a bud on the heather,
I see a rowan tree in bloom,
I see the clean fresh water of the hills
rushing down from each rounded peak
far from me across the sea.

The land of birch trees, the land of waves,
the poets have often praised you,
and when I turned my back on you
I awoke to destiny
and I will be praising you for ever.

I see in the distance, far from me,
I see in the distance to the high tide mark,
I see Mull of the cold high hills
far from me across the sea,
far from me across the sea.

.