Chan Innis Mi Lem Bheul
Chan innis mi lem bheul,
m’ eachdraidh le ciall,
tha comas mo chainnt’ air a chall,
mo thuigse fhìn nis cho dall,
’s mo bheul ’s e gun theangaidh.
Air sgaradh bho ’n eachdraidh,
’s gach pearsa bha prìseil.
Nach iarradh tu fhèin bhuam a sheanair
bhith cluinnteil bhon neach nach fhreagair?
Lem bheul ’s e gun theangaidh.
Cha chluinn mi lem chluas,
na thug buaidh ort mar dhuais;
tha mise ann an linn a tha bodhair,
’s tha thu nis fad bhom chomhair;
’s cha labhair beul ’s e gun theangaidh.
Dh’fheuch thusa cho cruaidh,
but now you would be gloomy,
that I never took the opportunity myself,
and which those who are to come won’t get;
with my mouth without its tongue.
An e gu robh mis’
air mo stad, ’s air mo chlisg,
mo theanga fhèin air thachdadh,
’s e gun thlachd, air a ghlacadh;
na beòil ’s iad gun theangaidh.
Mharbhadh anam mo dhaoine,
nach gabhainn san ùine;
An dèidh strì tha thu laighe aig fois,
’s leat tha m’ dhualchais aig mo chois,
gun bheul is gun theangaidh.
A sheanair chòir,
cha chan mi an còrr;
ach innis dhomh na chanas mi fhìn
ri mo chlann anns a linn,
’s iad le beòil ’s iad gun theangaidh.
Cha sheinn iad an t-òran
nach d’ fhuair mise neo mòran,
’s chan eil taghadh ’nist gu bhith aca,
ach bhith glacte le bacadh,
agus beul a tha gun theangaidh.
i cannot say with my mouth
I cannot say with my mouth,
history with any meaning,
my linguistic ability has been lost,
my own understanding so blind,
and my mouth without its tongue.
Separated from the history,
and every person that was precious.
Wouldn’t you wish of me, grandfather,
that you’d hear from the one who won’t answer?
With my mouth without its tongue.
I can’t hear with my ear,
that which impacted you like a prize;
I am in an age that is deaf,
and you are now far from my trajectory;
and a mouth cannot speak without its tongue.
You tried so hard,
but now you would be gloomy,
that I never took the opportunity myself,
and which those who are to come won’t get;
with my mouth without its tongue.
Was it that I
was stopped, and startled,
and my own tongue choked,
without pleasure, having been caught;
the mouths that are without a tongue.
Killing my people’s soul,
that which I wouldn’t take in time;
after striving you now lie in peace,
and with you is my heritage at my feet,
without a mouth and without a tongue.
Dearest grandfather,
I will not say any more;
but tell me what I may say
to my children in our age,
as they have mouths without a tongue.
They will not sing the song
that neither I nor many got,
and they will now not have a choice,
but to be trapped with a hindrance,
and a mouth that is without its tongue.