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Aena macu Laígse comarba Ciaráin

Aena macu Laígse, comharba Chiaráin,

Aena, of the seed of Laígse and coarb of Kieran,

is é rop anmchara do Ghuaire.

is é dob anamchara do Ghuaire.

him Guaire had for spiritual director.

ro gabad mac baintrebthaige la Guaire aidne ina lubghurt .

Do gabhadh mac baintrí lá i luibhghort le Guaire Aidhne.

Now in his garden a certain widow’s son was taken by Guaire of Aidhne,

tic in baintrebthach d’innsaigid Aena d’accáine in imnid sin ris.

D’imigh an bhaintreach chun Aena ag déanamh a gearáin leis.

and she coming before Aena complained *to him* of this hardship.

“ní fuil acumsa” ar Aena “ní aile duit

“Níl agamsa aon ní duit,” arsa Aena,

“Naught else have I for thee,” he said,

acht geib in rann so dó.”

“acht gabh an rann seo dó.”

“but to bid thee recite him this quatrain.”

tánaic in chaillech reimpi co Guaire

D’imigh an bhaintreach roimpi chun Guaire

The old woman went straight to Guaire,

ocus ro ghab in rann do:—

agus chan sí an rann dó:

and sang the quatrain at him, thus:—

“A Ghuaire in imráidi .

“A Ghuaire, an ndéanann tú aon mhachnamh

“Considerest thou, Guaire,

imghlasad iar nimbáini?

ar an ndearg-lasadh a leanann an bháine úd an bháis?

the turning livid that follows the first mere growing pale?

seis duit t’aenarán cin nech .

Bíodh fhios agat go mbeir-se lá eigin id aonarán, gan aoinne ar bith id fhochair,

be certified of this: that all alone and without a fellow

in núir chille meic Duach”

in úir Chill Mhic Dhuach.”         

thou shalt yet dwell under mould of cill mic Duach.”

Arsa Guaire:—

*Said Guaire:—

“A mendocán imráidim .

“Déanaim cheana, a bhean bhocht,

“I think of it often enough,

ocus dna cáin innláidim;

agus, go deimhin duit, an fad a mhairim,

and, indeed, my indulgence is

cech aen [dar] ráinic a les . 

gach aoinne a bheidh ’na ghá,

that anyone who needs relief,

ní dechaid cin domainches”

ní raghaidh uaim gan a achaine d’fháil.”

will not go away without their petition being granted.”*

“Is é mo domainchessa” ar sí “m’aenmhacán.”

“Is é m’achainíse,” ar sise, “m’aonmhacán.”

She went on: “my petition is for my only little son”;

“fogabasa sin dana” or Guaire

“Beidh agat, go deimhin,” arsa Guaire,

and Guaire answered: “thou shalt have him, *indeed,*

“ocus digéltair sin for Aena.”

“agus díoghlfar seo ar Aena.”

but Aena shall be avenged for this.”

ba fíor són.

Agus dob fhíor dó san.

And that was true:

ro marb

bachlach do muinntir Chluana

Duine de mhuintir na Cluana,

for a certain churl of the familia of Clonmacnoise

ech Aena ocá thafunn as a ghort.

ag tiomáint eich Aena as a ghort,

chasing Aena’s horse out of his field

do mharaigh sé é.

killed him,

ro gabad in bachlach oc Aena

Do gabhadh fear an ghoirt le hAena.

and Aena, after having said churl seized,

corro naidmed cét mbó ar in mbachlach i níc in eich.

Céad bó do hiarradh ar an bhfeirmeoir d’íoch thar cheann an eich.

in satisfaction of the horse laid on him a fine of one hundred cows;

táinic in bachlach ar sin co Guaire dá
faighde.

Tháinig fear an ghoirt ansin chun Guaire á chásamh féin.

whereupon the common fellow for comfort repairing to Guaire,

“gab in rannsa do Aena” ar Guaire.

“Can an rann seo le hAena,” arsa Guaire.

the king said: “to Aena recite this quatrain.”

tánaic in bachlach reime co hAena ocus do gab in rann .i.

Tháinig fear an ghoirt roimhe chun Aena agus do ghabh sé an rann:

The churl came to Aena, and delivered the quatrain:—

“Do mac Laígse ba mór gó .

“Ba mhór an éagóir do mhac Laígse

“Great falsehood [i.e. an iniquitous award] it was for mac Laígse

in aenchenn ar in cét mbó;

céad bó d’iarraidh ar an aon cheann amháin,

that a single head [i.e. one animal] should be made to represent an hundred kine;

in mór do dul ar in mbec .

an mórán do dhul ar an mbeagán,

that the much should pass in payment for the little

in fubann in tsacairbec”

mar dhíol as an méid do cailleadh.”

*does that impair the sacred host (i.e. vitiate thy sacred profession)?”*

“Is fuba imorro” ol Aena:

“Díolaíocht, an ea,” arsa Aena.

“Verily,” Aena said, “it is an iniquity,

“ní iarrubsa fortsa acht aenbhó.”

“Ní iarrfaidh mé ach aonbhó ortsa.”

and I will ask of thee but one cow.”

ro búi dana a leithéite sin co meinic itir Aena ocus Ghuaire.

Tharlaíodh a leithéid go minic idir Aena agus Guaire.

Now this kind of thing often passed between Guaire and him.