Leig ris air tùs, oir 's leur do d' shùil o nèamh
Gu aigein dorch' an t-sluichd, leig ris am fàth
A ghluais ar sinnsearra 'n an staid gun lochd
Gu'n cùl a thoirt ri Dia, 's a lagh a bhrist',
Ged bha gach ni 'n an seilbh ach aon a mhàin ?
An nathair ifrinneach, 's e laist le tnù,
Le diogh'ltas agus ceilg, 'se 'mheall a' bhean,
A chionn gu'n d'fhuadaicheadh á nèamh e 'mach
Arson a ghiùlain chealgaich, uaibhrich, bhuirb,
Le 'bhuidhinn cheannaircich de dh'Ainglibh truagh,
Le'n cònadh b'àill leis éiridh suas thar chàich,
'S tigh'nn gu bhi ionann ann an cliù 's an glòir,
Le streup, ri mòralachd an Ti 's fior àird';
An dùil gu'n rachadh aig' air gleachd, le buaidh,
An aghaidh uachdranachd a's mòrachd Dhé,
'S ann thug e ionnsuidh dhàna, choirbte, chlìth,
Air còmhstri 'dhùsgadh ann an rioghachd nèamh;
Ach thilg an t-Uile chumhachdach e 'mach
Bho'n speur mar dhealanach, 'na lasair dheirg,
Gu léir-sgrios siorruidh sios do'n t-slochd gun ghrunnd,
A ghabhail taimh 'an geimhleibh cruadhach, glaist'
'S an teine lasrach, loisgeach, phiantach, dhian,
A chionn gu'n d' dhùlanaich gu còmhrag arm
E 'n t-Uile-chomasach. Naoi làithean cian,
'S cho lion'ar oidhch', mar thoimhsear tiom nam beò,
Thug e le 'sgiobadh sgreataidh, air an claoidh,
'S a' cur nan car dhiubh 'n dubhaigein a' bhròin,
'Am breislich chràitich, 's nach tig bàs g'a chòir :
Oir dhìt am Freasdal e gu barrachd feirg'.
Tha chrìdh' 'g a spìonadh as le smaointibh trom
Mu'n àgh a chaill e, 's geilt roimh phéin ri teachd.
Bho 'shùilean guineach dh'amhairc e mu'n cuairt
Le sealladh uaibhreach 's an robh goimh a's gràin;
'S nach fac' ach sgrios anacuibhseach, oillt, a's fiamh.
Cho fad' 'sa thùradh Aingeal chunnacas leis
Gu grad an t-ionad iargalt, fiadhaich, fàs—
Mor phriosan uamhasach, bho thaobh gu taobh
'N a lasraichibh, mar fhùirneis bhaoth 'nan càir;
A's as na lasraichean cha'n fhaicte soills',
Ach dorcha foillseach anns an gann bu leur
Gach sealladh éitidh bha r'a fhaicinn ann,
Fo sgàiltibh muladach 's air raontaibh bròin,
Far nach dean sìth no sòlas còmhnuidh 'chaoidh,
'S nach taoghail dòchas 'thig a chòir gach neach,
Ach dòruinn bhuan gun chrioch, a ghreasar dian
Le tuiltibh teinteach 'brùchdadh as gach laimh
De phronnusg lasrach, dian-loisgeach nach caith.
Rinn Ceartas bith-bhuantach an t-àit ud deas
With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed ;
Such place eternal Justice had prepared
For those rebellious, here their prison ordained
In utter darkness, and their portion set
As far removed from God and light of heaven
As from the centre thrice to the utmost pole.
O how unlike the place from whence he fell!
There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelmed
With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,
He soon discerns, and weltering by his side
One next himself in power, and next in crime,
Long after known in Palestine, and named
Beelzebub. To whom the Arch-enemy,
And thence in heaven called Satan, with bold words
Breaking the horrid silence thus began.-
The pilgrim stands on famed Chaldea's plain,
The immortal field of Glory's ancient reign :
Hillah's small town is looming far away,
And o'er the desert dies the golden day.
What meets the eye? no stately waving trees,
No sweet-lipped flowers that scent the passing breeze;
Stern Desolation here hath reared her throne,
And darkly calls this fated land her own.
Vast mounds sweep 'round us, clothed with stunted grass,
Or strewn with shattered urns and rings of brass;
And on and on they wind, and cross, and meet,
Wrecks of fall'n towers, and many a gorgeous street.
But who shall say, where dwelt in former age,
The high or low, the warrior, prince, or sage?
Wild asses browse where stood the Ninian gate,
The lizard crawls where monarch's moved in state.
In Beauty's rosy garden wormwood springs;
Where cooed Love's ring-doves, vulture flap their wings.
To trace the walls' vast round skill vainly tries;
And o'er each shapeless ruin History sighs;
Man's last poor pride, the very tombs, are gone :-
And this was famed, earth-conquering, Babylon!
Arson nan ceannairceach, 'g an glasadh suas
A'm builsgein dorchadais, 's an crannchur leag
Cho fad' air falbh bho Dhia 's bho sholus nèamh
"Thrì fad' 's tha'n cruinne-cé bho cheann gu ceann.
O! bu neo-choltach ris an ionad àigh
Bho'n d' fhògradh iad an t-àit' an d'rinn iad stad;
Mu'n cuairt bha'n comunn a rinn tuiteam leis
'N an sléibhtrich, air an claoidh le cathadh garbh
De dh'éilibh beò, le confhadh stoirm 'g a chur :
Bha fear 'g a aoirneagan air làr r'a thaobh,
An t-aon bu tin' air ann an olc 's an neart
'Fhuair urram mòr a rìs an tìr Chanaan,
'S e Beelsebub dha'b' ainm ; ris le briathraibh àrd, Bbo shàmhchair uamhraidh, labhair an t-Ard nàmh, D'am b'ainm 'na dhéigh sin Sàtan ann an nèamh.
An sud bha Bàb'lon mòr nan còmhnard rêidh,
Blår-iomairt greadhnachais nan linn o chéin ;
Tha baile Hilah 'snàmh fad as, 's a' cheò,
'S air gnùis an fhàsaich crìoch an là mar òr.
Ach c'àit' am bheil na craobhan àrda, trom,
A's boltrach cubhraidh, tlàth, mhaoth-bhlàth nan tom.
An so gach ni chuir làmh a' mhilteir fàs,
A's 'ainm tha sgrìobht' air gnùis na tìr 's gach àit'.
Mu'n cuairt gach taobh tha druimnean lom gun sgèimh
Ach bruachan sgapt' le sgealban phoitean crè.
Tha talla 'chiùil, 's an lùchairt, ghreadhnach, àrd
An so nan smùr, gun smid an tosd a' bhàis:
A's co ni fheuchainn c'à'n do thàmh an righ,
Am baoth-fhear làn, an draoidh, no'm bochd gun
Tha còmhnuidh 'n fhiadh-bhea'ich far an d' iadh na slòigh
'S tha 'nathair chiar an tigh nan diathau òir.
Thug blàithean cùbhraidh 'n àit' do luibhean searbh,
'S an colman theich roimh' sgread nam feithid' garg :
A dion bhal' àrd cha lorgaich làmh ni's mò,
'S tha thar gach làrach 'eachdraidh 'tàmh fo bhròn.
A h-uaighean féin rinn fàs 'n am blârain lom,
'S b'e so bail' uaibhreach, ainmeil Bhabiloin.
LAMENTATION OF DAVID
Over Saul and Jonathan.—ii. Samuel, i. 19—27.*
weep, for the glory of Israel is faded,
Her power and her beauty in silence repose;
And hills, which the mantle of peace long has shaded,
Now echo the tread, and the triumph of foes.
And how are thy mighty now fallen O Judah!
The hater of Jacob exulteth afar;
Yes! peals the glad note, to the downfal of Judah,-
He laughs o'er the havoc, the writhings of war.
Philistia's daughter, her idols adoring,
May boast that the power of Jehovah is gone;
Yet, Judah can sing, while her eye is deploring,
The God of my fathers, I'll worship alone.
Proud hills of my country! Gilboa! O never
Shall dew-drop of morning thy green slopes adorn;
Thy verdure is faded, and sterile for ever
Shall be the rich fields of the victim forlorn.
For there was the shield of the mighty averted,-
The oil of anointing seemed pour'd forth in vain ;
And feeble his arm, his standard deserted,
The monarch, all childless, reclines with the slain.
Yes! changed is the time, nor eagle's broad pinion
Could swifter shoot forth from his eyrie on high;
Nor lion, proud prince of a desert dominion,
With Judah's lost princes, in prowess could vie.
The star of the mighty, beneath the dark ocean
Is sunk to repose, but its vivid light shone;
And the ray of its waning rekindles emotion,
Through life undivided, in death they are one.
Weep daughters of Israel! the pride of your nation,
Whose splendour bespangled these garments so gay;
Recal the lost object of fond admiration,
O! pensively weep o'er his mouldering clay.
And why are they perished! while garlands were weaving
For brows that are steeped in oblivion's wave;
Lost pride of my heart! were that bosom still heaving,
But no-'tis the leaden embrace of the grave.
* Dr Kitto justly remarks, that the Lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan is introduced by a strange parenthesis: "And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonath. an his son: (also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)" The words, the use of, are interpolated. Without them, the clause
CUMHADH DHAIBHIDH
Os ceann Shauil agus Ionatain.-ii. Sam. i. 19—27.
O! tionnsgain m' fhonn le tùirse trom gu luaidh,
Mar thuit an righ, nach pill o'n strìth le buaidh;
Oir Israel siar, a mhais', a mhiagh 's a threòir
Luidh air an t-sliabh, ach dheàrs a ghrian 's a ghlòir.
'S a shléibhtean uain', mu'n tric rinn suaimhneas tàmh,
Cha chluinn iad fuaim ach caithream-buadh' nan nàmh.
Biodh tosd 's an t-saogh'l,—oir thuit na laoich le'm beum,
'S air slios nam beann tha 'n sgiath 's an lann gun fheum :
'S their Gat nan dée, " Mo ghaisgich féin thug buaidh,
A's Iudah ghèill—biodh ainm a Dhé gun luaidh."
O'shléibhtean àigh! an dealta tlàth cha bhraon
Mu'r slios gu bràch, 's a' mhaise dh'fhàg an raon;
Oir thuit na slòigh-bha 'n sgiath gu 'm fòir gun stàth,
A's shearg fo leòn am mais', am beò, 's am blàth.
Thuit righ nan euchd-thuit òg nam beus gun bhuaidh,
'S an tosd a' bhàis am measg an àir tha 'n uaigh ;
Ach 's tric a sheinn an saighde srann sa' bhlàr,
'S a bhoillsg an lann gu sgrios an nàimh san àr.
Bu ghràdhach, caoin 'nam beò na laoich a thréig,
A's thuit iad còmhla, 's luidh fo leòn an éig.
Mar fhìreun speur bha 'n lùgh an réidh nam blàr
'S mar phrionns' na frìthe, treun gu strìth nan àr.
A nigh'nan Iudah, guilibh dlùth 'ur deòir,
'S ur caoidh mu'n righ a dhiol dhuibh rìomhadh òir,
Chuir loinn a b'àird' air éideadh b'àillidh sgiamh,
'S a shoillsich sròl nan leug bu bhòidhche fiamh.
C' uim' thuit na slòigh bu bhoillsgeil glòir fo'n cruaidh,
'S am bratach ghéill, bu Treòir nan treun gu buaidh?
'S an gairdean treun bu reachdmhor beum gun chlìth,
'S an làn-shùil fann bhiodh laiste 'n àm na strìth?
O òig nam beus! a thuit fo bheum nan daoi,
Bu chaomh rium féin, 's tu fàth mo dheur 's mo chaoidh--
An òg-bhean chiùin cha taisbein tùs a gràdh
D'a céile òg, mar nochd thu dhomh-sa bàigh.
Tha bròn ga m' chlaoidh, 's is tric le d' chuimhn' mo dheòir!
Mo chreach! mò chràdh! tha 'm fiùran àigh gun treòir!
C'uim' thuit na slòigh? Bha'n sgiath gu'm fòir gun stàth,
A's shearg fo leòn am mais', am beò, 's am blàth.
stands thus: "He bade them teach the children of Judah the Bow;" suggesting that this was the title given to the lamentation itself, from the repeated mention of the bow in it. It is observable, adds Dr Kitto, that the translation of the Septuagint and of the older editions and manuscripts of the Vulgate are quite conformable to this interpretation.
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