| Manx | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Blein hoght cheead jeig. ghaa-yeig as daeed | The year eighteen hundred and fifty-two | |
| Va’n atchim shoh nagh bione dooin lheid ; | Occurred such a disaster as we have not known before; | |
| Nuy deiney as feed dy jeean va stroit, | Nine and twenty men were suddenly destroyed, | |
| Lesh aile as poodyr feer doaltat. | By an explosion of powder.[1] | |
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[1] A closer translation of this line would be; “By fire from powder very suddenly’ (It is likely here that ‘as’ is in fact Nelson’s spelling for ‘ass’.)
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| Brig “LILY” v’ee voish Liverpool, | The brig “LILY” had come from Liverpool, | |
| Dys Africa v’ee kiarit goll: | And had intended to go to Africa; | |
| Agh sterrym mooar ren geiyrt ee chionn, | But a great storm overtook her. | |
| Stiagh er yn ellan Kitterland. | Driving her in on the island of Kitterland.[2] | |
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[2] A closer translation of this verse would be; “She was the Brig ‘Lily’ from Liverpool, To Africa she was intended to go, But a big storm drove her fast in onto the island of Kitterland.”
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| Ny deiney shoh va loayrit roo | These men had been spoken to | |
| Son dy hauail yn brig as stoo; | To save the brig and cargo ; | |
| Agh roish va traa oc hauail veg, | But before they had time to save anything, | |
| Hie brig as deiney seose jeh’n chreg | The brig and men went up off the rock. | |
| Lane poodyr v’ayn-jee, ta ain baght ; | There was much powder on board, we understand; | |
| Haare aer as aile[3] (shen ren yn cragh) | The gas took fire (that made the crash), | |
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[3] Haare aer as aile] It is likely here that ‘as’ is in fact Nelson’s spelling for ‘ass’ (‘from’) – ‘Gas caught (ignited) from a fire’.
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| As trome va’n atchim, chaarjyn deyr, | And heavy was the shock, dear friends, | |
| Tra hrog yn bodjal seose ’syn aer. | When the cloud [of smoke] rose up in the air. | |
| Agh lhig dooin goaill nish baght jeh shoh. | And now let us take notice of this. | |
| Cre’n mirril mooar dy row FER BIO; | What a great wonder; there was one man alive | |
| As ga dy row yn chragh cha dewil.[4] | Although the crash was so severe. | |
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[4] This line is illegible in the original manuscript and is taken from the version printed in the Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, February 04 - March 04, 1899; Page: 6.
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| V’eh myr banglane sauit as yn aile. | He was as a branch saved from the fire. | |
| As lhisagh eh dagh oie as laa | And he should each night and day | |
| Jeh myghin mooar yn Chiarn imraa ; | Speak of the great mercy of the Lord; | |
| Lesh jeeanid anmey hirveish[5] eh | With earnestness of mind serve Him | |
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[5] There is no obvious reason for lenition of shirveish here.
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| Ren sheeyney magh da snaie yn vea. | Who lengthened out for him the thread of life. | |
| Ec Purt Le Moirrey, yn laa shoh chaie, | At Port St. Mary the other day, | |
| (She shoh yn toiggal ta aym veih), | (It is from here I got my information), | |
| Skeerey my ghooie va gennaghtyn, | My native parish was feeling, | |
| Son ny mraane treoghe v’ayn gaccan[6] trome. | For the widows that were in such heavy trouble.[7] | |
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[6] gaccan] v. 61. moaning, bewailing. (Cregeen)
[7] A closer translation of this line would be; “For the widows there (who were) deeply mourning”.
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| Va’n oaie oc seiyt lesh trimshey trome; | Their faces were troubled with great sadness; | |
| Lane cloan gyn ayr va kiongoyrt rhym; | Many fatherless children were about me, | |
| As dys yn cheeill feer dree v’ad troailt. | And they were walking very slowly to the church. | |
| Va’n trimshey oc wheesh cha row ad loayrt. | Their sorrow was so great that they were not speaking. | |
| As ayns yn cheeill feer trimshagh v’ad | And in the church they were very mournful | |
| Ayns coamrey doo ; myrgeddin hood[8] | In their mourning clothes. Also to Thee | |
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[8] The poem is styled as a prayer to God.
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| Thousaneyn jeir va shillt dy sharroo, | Thousands of tears were bitterly shed, | |
| Er son ny bioee as ny merriu. | Both for the living and for the dead. | |
| Dooinney dy Yee, yn saggyrt ain, | Our parson, a man cf God, | |
| Ren ad leeideil gys fuill yn Eayn, | Led them to the blood of the Lamb, | |
| Ta clashtyn nish dagh seaghyh trome | Who hears now each heavy trouble | |
| Ben treoghe as cloan gyn ayr ta geam. | Of the widow and fatherless children who call (upon Him). | |
| Lesh boggey ta shin cur diu fys, | With joy we let you know | |
| Ta’n Chiarn ayns chymmey er hroggal seose | The Lord in pity has raised up | |
| Thousaneyn carrey ta. trooid graih, | Thousands of friends who, through love. | |
| Ceau aggle jeu as seaghyn baih. | Casting fear away, and drowning sorrow. | |
| Yn Ellan ain ta trooid graih jeean, | Our Island which through earnest love, | |
| Gaccan as cooaghey myr calmane; | Complaining and cooing as a dove ; | |
| As kuse ta chymsit nish jeh’n cheer | And a sum was now gathered from the country[9] | |
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[9] The phrase ‘ta chymsit nish’ means ‘is now gathered’.
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| Dy hroggal seose yn chloan gyn ayr. | To bring up the fatherless children. | |
| Ta deiney seyrey Vannin hene | The rich men of our own Isle of Man | |
| Lesh cree as laueyn ta’d ve jeean[10] | With heart and hands were so earnest | |
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[10] ta’d ve jeean] ‘they are being earnest’. (The 1899 translation places the charitable actions in the past.)
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| Ta daa housane as queig cheead punt | That two thousand and five hundred pounds | |
| Chymsit ec deiney runt myrgeart. | Were collected in the neighbourhood. | |
| Ny Sostynee ooasle (t’ad mec jeh stayd), | The English nobles are men of state,[11] | |
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[11] A closer translation of this line would be; “The noble English (they are sons of status)”.
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| Lesh spyrryd deiney shen myr t’ad, | With men of spirit, such as these, | |
| Myr Creesteenyn, er hymsagh runt | And as Christians, have collected | |
| Er gerrey da daa housane punt. | Nearly two thousand pounds. | |
| As jerkal t’ain rish queig cheead foast | And expecting still five hundred | |
| Voish naboo Hostyn[12] cour yn chooish: | From our English neighbours for the cause. | |
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[12] naboo Hostyn] — ‘neighbour of England’ this might be a case of non-standard lenition (as seen elsewhere in this piece with ‘hirveish’ used where ‘shirveish’ would be expected) as ‘naboo Sostyn’ – ‘neighbour England’ fits better.
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| Ta’n Queen ain ooasle, as neesht reeoil,[13] | Our gracious Queen, who still reigns. | |
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[13] A closer translation of this line would be; “Our queen is noble, and also royal”.
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| Ta’n chooish goit eck as daue chymmoil. | Took up the cause and had pity for them. | |
| Yee bannee yn dooinney seyr jeh stayd[14]. | God bless the rich man of the place. | |
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[14] jeh stayd] of status.
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| Squire Gawne ghow toshiaght lesh e cheead,[15] | Squire Gawne began with one (hundred pounds); | |
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[15] e cheead] his hundred
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| E chree lesh chymmey huc ren lheih, | His heart was melted with pity for them . | |
| As Jee nee geeck eh son e ghraih. | And God will repay him for his love. | |
| She shoh yn chraueeaght t’ain ’sy ghoo, | This is the faith we have in the Word | |
| Voish Creest yn Chiarn as Spyrryd Noo; | From Christ, the Lord, and Holy Spirit: | |
| Ynrick as fegooish broid, sheer dooin, | Holy and without uncleanness, we are sure, | |
| Cha nee ayns glare agh obbraghyn. | It is not by words but by works. | |
| She dy gholl huc t’ayns trimshey as feme, | It is to go to them in their sorrow and need, | |
| Rish yn ven treoghe as cloan dy rheynn; | To distribute to the widow and the child; | |
| As liorish graih as casherickys[16] | And by love and holiness | |
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[16] This line is illegible in the original manuscript and is taken from the version printed in the Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, February 04 - March 04, 1899; Page: 6.
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| Nyn mea y cheau ’sy theihll shoh wass. | To spend our[17] lives in this world. | |
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[17] The translation ‘their’ for ‘nyn would be a better fit here than ‘our’.
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| Bee imraa jeant jeh cragh cha dewil | Mention will be made of this diesaster so severe | |
| Ec cloan nagh vel foast bio ’sy theihll, | By children who are not yet born, | |
| Tra vees ny kirp ain ayns yn oaie | When our bodies shall be in the grave | |
| Yn skeeal nee foast gys eashyn roie. | The tale will yet to ages run. | |
| Cha jeean as agglagh shen va’n polt![18] | How sharp and frightful was the report— | |
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[18] polt] s.
m. a blow, stroke, or thump; or perhaps it means the sound or report of a
blow, shot, &c., more than the blow, &c. itself; v. strike, &c.; —AGH, 77; —EE, 80; (Cregeen)
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| Nyn girp va raipit er yn spot; | Their bodies were torn to pieces on the spot; | |
| As traa feer ghiare va currit daue, | And a very short time was given to them | |
| Dy chur nyn aghin seose gys niau. | To raise their prayers up to heaven. | |
| As tra vees cayrn Yee er ny hellym: | And when the trump of God shall sound : | |
| “Trog shiu seose, verriu, ass yn joan!” | “Rise up ye dead, out of the dust!” | |
| Ny craueyn shen va brisht as scarrt | The bones that were broken and scattered | |
| Hig reesht dy-cheilley myr v’ad cheayrt. | Will come together as they were once. | |
| Eisht ayns yn laa mooar gloyroil shen | Then in that great glorious day | |
| Nee Chreest gra roosyn vees lesh hene : | Christ will say to those who shall be with Him: | |
| “Immee shiu stiagh dys gerjagh beayn, | “Go ye into eternal happiness | |
| Ghow chymmey jeh mraane treoghe v’ayns feme. | For taking pity of the widows in need. | |
| Son wheesh as ren shiu shoh, nyn currym, | For as much as you did this, your duty : | |
| Da’n vooinjer veg cur coamrey as arran, | To the little ones gave clothing and food : | |
| Ren shiu myrgeddin eh y yannoo dooys, | You also did it unto Me, | |
| As crown dy gloyr yiow shiu lurg baase.” | And a crown of glory you shall receive after death.” | |
| Ta coontey ain ayns Sushtal Chreest, | We have an account in the Gospel of Christ | |
| Jeh toor Siloam, dty[19] huitt eh sheese. | Of the tower of Siloam, which fell down, | |
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[19] dty] evidently a misprint for ‘dy’.
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| As faggys da va kuse ayns earroo, | And nearly the amount in number. | |
| Hoght deiney jeig, goit fo as marroo.[20] | Eighteen men, taken under and killed. | |
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[20] marroo] dead
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| Ta Yeesey gra rooin ayns yn goo | And Jesus tells us in the Word | |
| Nagh row ad shoh ny peccee smoo, | That these were not greater sinners; | |
| Agh, fegooish arrys cooie, dy jean | But without meet and earnest repentance | |
| Ny bioee ooilley cherraghtyn. | The living would all suddenly perish.[21] | |
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[21] Agh, fegooish arrys cooie, Dy jean ny bioee ooilley cherraghtyn.] The 1899 translator appears to have misread ‘dy jean’ as ‘dy jeean’. A closer translation of these two lines would be; “But, without proper repentence, All the living will perish’.
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| Lhig diuish as dooys, ta bio er-mayrn, | Let you and me, who are still alive, | |
| Lesh jeeanid cree hirveish yn Chiarn ; | With earnestness of heart serve the Lord, | |
| Dy vod mayd cosney foayr as grayse, | That we may gain favour and grace, | |
| As maynrys niau tra yiow mayd baase. | And the happiness of heaven when we shall die. | |
| Amen. | ||