Pangur Bán

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Pangur Bán (ca. 9th century)

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"Pangur Bán" is an Old Irish poem, written about the 9th century at or around Reichenau Abbey. It was written by an Irish monk, and is about his cat. Although the poem is anonymous, it bears similarities to the poetry of Sedulius Scottus, prompting speculation that Sedulius is the author. In 8 verses of four lines, the author compares the cat's activities with his own scholarly pursuits.

An English translation is available at English Wikisource.

18954Pangur Bánca. 9th century

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Version from the Old Irish Verse section of Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus

[ 293 ]

1. Messe ocus Pangur Bán, · cechtar nathar fria saindan
bíth a menmasam fri seilgg · mu menma céin im saincheirdd.
2. Caraimse fos ferr cach clú · oc mu lebran leir ingnu
ni foirmtech frimm Pangur Bán · caraid cesin a maccdán.
3. Orubiam scél cen scís · innar tegdais ar noendís
taithiunn dichrichide clius · ni fristarddam arnáthius.
4. Gnáth huaraib ar gressaib gal · glenaid luch inna línsam
os mé dufuit im lín chéin · dliged ndoraid cu ndronchéill.
5. Fuachaidsem fri frega fál · a rosc anglése^[1] comlán
fuachimm chein fri fegi fis · mu rosc reil cesu imdis.
6. Faelidsem cu ndene dul · hinglen luch inna gerchrub
hi tucu cheist ndoraid ndil · os me chene am faelid.

[ 294 ]

7. Cia beimmi amin nach ré, · ni derban cách a chele
maith la^a cechtar nár a dán, · subaigthius a óenurán.
8. He fesin as choimsid dáu · in muid dungní cach oenláu
du thabairt doraid du glé · for mu mud cein am messe.

Notes

↑ rosc is neuter (rosc n-airard n-adanta, LL. 253^a45); hence the neut. article before glé

Version from Ernst Windisch’s Irische Texte, vol. 1, chapter X, “Die irische Handschrift des Klosters St. Paul in Kärnthen”

[ 316 ]

Messe ocus Pangur Bán,cechtar náthar^[1] fria saindán
bíth a menma-sam fri seilggmu menma céin im saincheirdd.

Caraim-se fos ferr cach clúoc mu lebran leir ingnu
ni foirmtech frimm Pangur Báncaraid cesin a maccdán.4 10

O ru biam scél cen scísinnar tegdais ar n‑oendís
taithiunn dichrichide cliusni fristarddam arnáthius.

Gnáth huaraib ar gressaib galglenaid^[2] luch inna lín-sam
os mé dufuit im lín chéindliged n‑doraid cu n‑dronchéill.8

Fuachaid-sem fri frega fála rosc anglése comlán15
fuachimm chein fri fegi fismu rosc reil cesu imdis.

Faelid-sem cu n‑dene dulhi n‑glen luch inna gerchrub
hi tucu cheist n‑doraid n‑dilos me chene am faelid.12

Cia beimmi amin nach réni derban cách a chele
caraid^[3] cechtar nár a dán,subaigthius a óenurán.20

He fesin as choim sid dáuin muid dun gní cach oen láu
du thabairt doraid du gléfor mu mud cein am messe.16

Notes

↑ nádar mit Punktum delens unter d, und th über dem d Ms.
↑ zwischen glen und aid ein kleines Loch im Ms.
↑ caraid ist ausgestrichen und darüber von derselben Hand maith la geschrieben.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

[1] rosc is neuter (rosc n-airard n-adanta, LL. 253^a45); hence the neut. article before glé

[2] ádar mit Punktum delens unter d, und th über dem d Ms.

[3] zwischen glen und aid ein kleines Loch im Ms.

[4] raid ist ausgestrichen und darüber von derselben Hand maith la geschrieben.

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