[from Manx Carols, 1891]

CARVAL-DY GEDDIN ARLOO COUR BAASE, or,
CAROL TO PREPARE FOR DEATH.

 
(Scruit ayns yn vlein 1721.)

Hiarn Yeesey cuin hig yn traa
Nagh jin-yms brishey rhyts dy braa ;
Ny cuin vys ny straidyn maynrey rea
Mayrts dy vod m'aunym ve ec fea

Lurg arrys ta mee tuittym sheese ;
Nish ta mee slane, chelleeragh brish
As guint, aless ! lesh angaaish geyre,
Hug my annym mennick ayns clangeys.

Hiarn Yeesey ! cuin ta stien doosthey,
Myr garrey dooin veih dagh roostey,
Nagh jed dy vess ny smoo er craa,
Agh dy chouyr hene freaylt glass dy braa.

Agh treih cha nee ayns cheer cha faase
Nee leid ny myssyn millish gaase
Ayns niau hene raad nagh vel agh unnane
Nagh dooar baase hoishagh ayns shoh wass.

Dy voghings baase dy voddyn cheet
Gys raad ta leid ny rosyn soit,
Biljyn gloyriol lane mess dy bragh,
Ta jaunoo yn ynnyd shen eunysagh,

Ayn cha bee'm mayd mollit myr va Aue
Ny mollit liorish yn ard-nieu.
Agh marish Jee veagh my annym glen
Dy voghin baase dy ve ayns shen.

Sho jir my arrane nagh vel my chree
Goll lhiam ,Lyns shen ta mee guee
" Vel eh cha creeney as dy rhie
Sheihll elley ghoayl as sho y yoaldey veih."

Cre'n fa nagh vel ny ta cheet stiagh
Ayns shoh son my aigney yannoo magh ?
Ny ere ta cadley, jough, ny bee,
Veih niau dy vreialagh adsyn mee ?

Cre eistet ta onner ard ny pooar,
Stockyn argit ny balljyn mooar,
Ny ooilley'n sheihll, dy voddin graa,
Dy jinnagh shin wheesh lantyn daa.

Annym sass uss dys dy arrane
Thow nish er chaulleeagh gys y Chiarn ;
Lig da dy chree ve firrinagh
As jean dy woushal ooilley magh.

Cre dy beagh thouse yn vea shoh slane-
Folmyt ayns bea dy bragh er mayrn-
Cryd ta mee coontey jeh'n vea, shoh?
Agh geddin baase as reasht ve bio.

Ayns Joe mooar bio dy bragh beayn,
Tree persoonyn ayns un unnane,
Dy der dagh annym lesh y cheesh
As dy vow e molley trooid dagh eaysh.-AMEN. .

 

(Written in the year 1721.)

Lord Jesus when will the time come
When I shall be with Thee for ever;
When on the smooth and blessed streets
My soul shall be at rest with Thee?

After repenting I fall back.
Now I am whole, but immediately I am broken
And pained, alas! with bitter anguish,
Which often puts my soul in danger.

Lord Jesus! when we are vigilant
Keep us as a garden from each robbery,
That Thy fruit may be no more shaken;
And be for Thyself kept green for ever.

But can it be in such a weak and forlorn
That such sweet fruit will grow?
But in heaven itself there was but one country
That did not first die here below.

If only I might die that I might come
To the place cohere such roses are growing ;
Glorious trees, full of everlasting fruit,
That flourish in the heavenly abode.

There I shall not be deceived
As Eve was by the serpent,
But in God's sight my soul shall be pure.
O, that I might die to be there!

Thus saith my song, but my heart will not
Go with me according to my prayer
" Is it so wise as to choose
Another world and forsake this one?"

Why do not these thoughts which come into it
Cause my mind to be satisfied?
Or what is sleep, meat, or drink,
If I should be shut out from heaven?

What avail high honour and power,
Great towns, and stores full of silver,
Or all the world, as one may say,
That we should cling so much to it ?

Soul, abide by thy song
Which thou hast sung to thy Lord;
Let thy heart be faithful
And carry out all thy inclinations.

Suppose the measure of this life to be full-
Emptied into the life everlasting -
What do I compare this life to?
But to die and to live again.

To the ever immortal and great God,
Three persons in one Godhead,
May each soul bring his due
And praise throughout all ages.-AMEN.


 

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