Caoine na dTrí Mhuire
The Lament of the Three Marys

 

A Pheadair a aspaill, a bhfhaca thú mo ghrá bán? Ochon, is ochon o.
[Ah faddir a aspil, a waka hoo mo ghraw bawn]
Oh Peter, apostle, did you see my loved one?

Chonnaic mé ar ball é dhá chéasa ag naimhid. Ochon, is ochon o.
[Khonik mey air ball ey, ghaw khesa egg navid]
I saw him some time ago, tormented by his enemies
 
 

Cé hé an fear breá sin ar Crann na Páise? (continue lament as above)
[Key hey unn far bryaw shin air craun nuh pawsha]
Who is that fine man on the Cross of Passion?

An é nach naithníom tú do Mhac, a Mháithirín? (continue lament as above)
[Unn ey nakh naneev too do walk, a wareen]
Don't you recognize your own son, mother?
 
 

An é sin an Maicín a diompar mé trí raithe?
[Unn ey shin unn makeen a dyumper mey tree raha]
Is that the son I carried for three trimesters?

An é sin an Maicín a rugao in sa stábla?
[Unn ey shin unn makeen a rugoo insa stawbla]
Is that the son that was born in the stable?
 
 

An é sin an Maicín a hoiliú in ucht mhaire?
[Unn ey shin unn makeen a hellyoo in ukht wara]
Is that the son that I reared on my knees?

A mhicín mhuirneach, tá do bhéal ës do srón gearra.
[Uh vikeen weernakh, taw do veyl iss do sron gyarra]
My dearest little son, your mouth and nose are bleeding.
 
 

Is cuireadh culaigh rúin ar le guath ó na naimhid
[Iss kwiryoo koola roon air le guwa oh nuh navid]
They dressed him in purple and spat on him with scorn

Is cuireadh an cron spinnte ar a mhullach aluinn.
[Iss kwiryoo unn cron spinta air a wullakh awlin]
They put a spiny crown on his beautiful forehead
 
 

Is chrocadar a mháthair suas ar guallí arda
[Iss khrocadar a wahir suwas air gualee arda]
They lifted his mother up high on their shoulders

Is bualadar an shuas í bhuilleach na caoine sráide.
[Iss booladar an uas ee, vwillyakh nuh keenya srawdya]
And threw her down smiting the keening streets
 
 

O buailigí mé fhéin ach na baine le mo mháthairín
[Oh booligee mey heyn, akh nuh banee le mo wareen]
Beat myself but do not touch my mother

Marbho muid thú fhéin agus buaille muid do mháithirín.
Marvo mwid hoo heyn aguss boolya mwid do wareen]
We'll kill yourself and we'll beat your mother
 
 

Cuireadh go cnoc Calvary é a méadú ar a Pháise
[Kwiryoo guh knok Calvary ey, a meydoo air a fawsha]
He was taken to Calvary Hill to hasten his Passion

Diompair sé an cro agus Simon le na shála.
[Dyumper shey unn cro aguss Simon le nuh hawla]
He carried the cross and Simon helping him
 
 

Cuireadh tairní maola trí a chosa is a lámha
[Kwiryoo tarnee mweyla tree uh khosa iss uh lawva]
There were blunt nails put through his hands and feet

Cuireadh an tslea trí na bhrollach álainn.
[Kwiryoo unn tla tree nuh vrollakh awlin]
There was a sword put through his beautiful chest
 
 

Éist a mháthair, is ná bí cráite
[Esht a wahir, iss naw bee krawtcha]
Listen, Mother, and don't be grieving

Tá mná mo caointe le bre fós a mháithairín.
[Taw mraw mo keentcha le bre fos a wareen]
The women who'll weep for me have yet to be born
 

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