Pangur Ban
  • From an 8th century Irish scribe's psalter.
  • Translated into English by by R. Flower and into Scots by Sheena Blackhall.

  • I and Pangur Ban, my cat,
  • 'Tis a like task we are at;
  • Hunting mice is his delight,
  • Hunting words I sit all night.
  • Better far than praise of men
  • Tis to sit with book and pen;
  • Pangur bears me no ill will,
  • He too plies his simple skill.
  • 'Tis a merry thing to see
  • At our tasks how glad are we,
  • When at home we sit and find
  • Entertainment to our mind.
  • Oftentimes a mouse will stray
  • In the hero Pangur's way;
  • Oftentimes my keen thought set
  • Takes a meaning in its net.
  • 'Gainst the wall he sets his eye
  • Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
  • 'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
  • All my little wisdom try.
  • When a mouse runs from its den,
  • O how glad is Pangur then!
  • O what gladness do I prove
  • When I solve the doubts I love!
  • So in peace our tasks we ply,
  • Pangur Ban, my cat, and I;
  • In our arts we find our bliss,
  • I have mine and he has his.
  • Practice every day has made
  • Pangur perfect in his trade;
  • I get wisdom day and night
  • Turning darkness into light.
  • Anon.

  • Pangur Ban ma cat an me
  • Tis a sim'lar darg we dee
  • Huntin moosies, his delicht
  • Huntin wirds I sit aa nicht
  • Better than men's praise tae pree
  • Tis tae screive wi buik on knee
  • Pangur, likewise, nae upstert,
  • Lives tae cairry oot his airt
  • Tis richt blythe oor lives tae see
  • Aboot oor darg, fu eidently
  • Fin we hae, in generous meisur
  • Ploys that gie us oors o pleisur
  • Whiles a moosie frae a neuk
  • Rins near Pangur's raxxin cleuk
  • Whiles, ma harns will grup an get
  • A hale new meanin in its net
  • Agin the waa he sets his ee
  • Fierce an faist an sherp an slee
  • Agin the waa o wyceness, I
  • Aa ma pouers o kennin, try
  • Fin the moose lowps intae sicht
  • Fu is Pangur o delicht!
  • Aa the warld can gyang tae wrack
  • Fan a puzzle I can crack!
  • Sae thegither, we agree
  • Pangur Ban, ma cat an me
  • In oor hairts we finn oor bliss
  • I hae mine an he has his
  • Practice makketh cat an man
  • The perfect hunter, pangur Ban
  • I win wyceness day an nicht
  • Turnin derkness inno licht.

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