| Manx | English | |
|---|---|---|
| AYNS JOHANNESBURG CHELLEERAGH ROISH Y CHAGGEY. | IN JOHANNESBURG IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE WAR. | |
| Graih my chree, t’ee ayns Agneash; | My darling, she is in Agneash; | |
| S’ meeilaghyn foddey ta mee vo’eeish, | And long miles am I from her, | |
| Boayl dy streeu ergerrey caggagh. | A place of impending strife, that would war, | |
| Voddym ee y akin arragh. | Can I see her again. | |
| Faagit thie t’ee, raad ta, shee; | Left at home she is, where there is peace; | |
| Haink mish shoh son sluight airh wuigh, | I came here for a little yellow gold, | |
| Dy hroggal aarloo thie beg bwaagh, | To build ready a handsome little house, | |
| Roish’s mayd[1] cooidjagh son dy bragh. | We will reach together for ever. | |
|
[1] Roish’s mayd] unknown. Perhaps;
[Roshys mayd] ‘we will arrive / we will reach / we will reach towards’.
| ||
| Fastee dooin fud-ny-hoie, | A shelter for us through the night, | |
| Aile dy liooar as bee nyn saie, | Enough fire and our fill of food, | |
| Dy haghney feayraght as y chiass | To avoid cold and the heat | |
| Choud’s mayd troailtagh ayns shoh wass. | Whilst we journey here on earth. | |
| Cre ta dooin fud reddyn reih | What is for us among choice things, | |
| Agh airh, s’doccaragh ta mee teiy? | But gold, so difficultly I pick? | |
| Dy vod eh maynrys dooin ’ordrail, | That it may afford us happiness, | |
| Dy cheau nyn mleeantyn ayns fardail. | To spend our years in inanity. | |
| Ragh fer neesht dy helg my baillish, | One would go to hunt too if he would wish, | |
| Ny goaill soylley agh veagh share lesh. | Or enjoy, but he would prefer. | |
| Agh mish, cha vel agh aym stayd treih, | But as for I, I only have a miserable state, | |
| As foddey, foddey voish my ghraih. | And far, far from my love. | |
| Dy feer, beagh skianyn orrym nish, | Truly, if I had wings now, | |
| Yn cheayn vooar hene nagh reayllagh mee vo’eeish, | The great see itself would not keep me from her, | |
| Dy beagh aym niart dy hannaghtyn; | If I had the the power to stay, | |
| Ga ta mee foddey feiy-ny-cruinn. | Although I am far across the world. | |
| Oie dy row haink dreamal hym, | One night a dream came to me, | |
| Ben as cloan heill mee va aym; | I supposed I had a wife and children; | |
| Kinjagh roym goaill boggey jeem. | Always before me rejoycing for me, | |
| Fegooish caghlaa ayns Mannin Veen. | Constantly, in the Dear Isle of Man. | |
| J. R. M., Laxey. | J. R. M., Laxey. | |