|
“Cre ta nyn mea?” James iv. 14.
|
“What is your life?”—James iv. 14.
|
|
Shimmey keayrt ta shin er vriaght yn feysht shoh, ayns y chummey shoh, ny ayns cummey elley.
|
Many a time we have asked this question, in this form or another.
|
|
Nish as reesht ayns nyn mea ta shin er smooinaghtyn myr shoh :—
|
Now and again in our life we have thought thus:—
|
|
“Cre ta my vea?
|
“What is my life?
|
|
Ta mee ayns shoh ayns y theihll.
|
Here I am in the world.
|
|
Ta mee baghey veih laa gy laa.
|
I am living from day to day.
|
|
Ta ayrn veg dy voggey aym, agh trimshey dy liooar, as dy chooilley cheint dy arkys as imnea.
|
I have a trifle of joy, but plenty of sorrow, and all kinds of difficulty and perplexity.
|
|
Ta traa goll shaghey dy tappee.
|
Time is passing rapidly.
|
|
Laa lurg laa ta mee gaase ny shinney.
|
Day after day I am growing older.
|
|
Ta my chaarjyn, sheshee, ainjyssee goll shaghey.
|
My friends, companions, acquaintances are passing.
|
|
Foast maghey tammylt beg as shegin dooys myrgeddin baase y gheddyn.
|
Yet a little while and I also must die.
|
|
Cre’n fa ta mee ayns shoh?
|
Why am I here?
|
|
Cre ta dy ve toiggit liorish?”
|
What does it, mean?”
|
|
Shegin dooin shoh y reggyrt dy tushtagh, er-nonney cha bee nyn mea er nyn son ain yn red firrinagh as gloyroil lhisagh ee y ve.
|
We must answer this intelligently or else our life will not be for us the true and glorious thing it ought to be.
|
|
|
|
|
Lhig dooin fakin cre ta bea feallagh elley freggyrt.
|
Let us see what the life of others answers.
|
|
Veih fer jeu erlhiam dy vel mee clashtyn :—
|
From one of them I imagine I hear :—
|
|
“My vea, 0, she gamman foddey ry-heet t’ee.
|
“My life, O, it is a prolonged joke.
|
|
T’ee geddyn gien gys rere my phooar.
|
It is getting amusement to the utmost of my power.
|
|
T’ee caa son cosney taitnys, son janoo magh my vian.
|
It is an opportunity for getting pleasure, for satisfying my appetite.
|
|
She caa glare t’ee, er-y-fa neem’s yn chooid smoo jeh y yannoo, as son wheesh as dy vel argid cosney taitnys, neem’s argid y ’gheddyn er aght erbee, cairigh, ny meechairagh.
|
A short opportunity it is, therefore I shall make the most of it and for as much as money procures pleasure, I shall get money in any way, rightly or wrongly.
|
|
Ta my vea lhiampene, myr shen neem baghey dou hene. Lhig da feallagh elley goaill cairail jeuhene.”
|
My life is my own, so I shall live it to myself. Let others take care of themselves.
|
|
Dy jarroo, voish shoh ta shin chyndaa ersooyl lesh feoh.
|
Truly from them we turn away in disgust.
|
|
Nish lhig dooin chyndaa gys yn vooinjer aegey as maynrey, as briaght, jeu— “Cre ta nyn mea?”
|
Now let us turn to young and happy ones, and ask of them—“What is your life?”
|
|
“O, she maynrys vooar nyn mea; red gloyroil, gerjoilagh, eunyssagh, maynrey.
|
“O, great happiness is my life: a glorious, joyful, pleasant, happy thing.
|
|
T’ee gerjoilagh nish, as lane dy ashlishyn sollys dy voggey smoo ta ry-heet.”
|
It is joyful now, and full of bright visions of greater joy to come.”
|
|
As myr shoh lhisagh eh y ve. Agh cha vel shoh fondagh er my hon.
|
And so it ought to be. But this is not sufficient for me.
|
|
Ta shin chyndaa eisht hucsyn shen ta tooilleil dy piandagh son nyn meaghey gagh laa, as ta shin briaght jeu— “Cre ta nyn mea?”
|
We turn then to those who toil painfully for their daily broad, and we ask of them— “What is your life?''
|
|
As t’ad freggyrt— “She red tooilleilagh, trimshagh, neu-ghennal, doccaragh.
|
And they answer “It is a thing wearisome, sorrowful, unhappy laborious.
|
|
Cha vel fea erbee nyn gour derrey hig mayd gys fea ayns yn oaie.”
|
There is no rest for us until we get rest in the grave.”
|
|
Treih dy ghra, ta firrays ennagh ayns shen myrgeddin.
|
Sad to say, there is some truth in that also.
|
|
Nish chyndaa-jee gys y vooinier hrome-chreeagh, surransagh, skee, trimshagh.
|
Now turn to the heavy-hearted, suffering, weary, sorrowful ones.
|
|
“Cre ta nyn mea?”
|
“What is your life?”
|
|
“She coan dy yeir t’ee, sheshaght oanluckee liauyr jeh jerkalyssyn marroo as cooinaghtyn fiojit.”
|
“It is a valley of tears, a long funeral procession of dead hopes and withered memories”
|
|
Ayns shoh reesht ta kuse jeh firrinys.
|
In this again there is some truth.
|
|
Agh ta mee geearree red ennagh ny smoo na ad shoh, dy jarroo, foddey smoo na ad shoh ooilley er nyn goyrt cooidjagh:
|
But I want something more than these, indeed, much more than all these put together:
|
|
red ennagh dy my chummal seose tra ta my vian failleil, my hreishteil mollit, my challin ceaut lesh skeeys, my chree brisht lesh dobberan.
|
something to sustain me when my appetite fails, my hope is disappointed, my body worn with weariness, my heart broken with mourning.
|
|
Lhig dooin hoshiaght y vriaght “Cre ta BIOYS.” She folliaght mooar te.
|
Let us ask first—"What is LIFE” It is a great mystery.
|
|
Cha vod mayd cur bun er.
|
We cannot explain it.
|
|
Cha vod mayd eh y hoiggal.
|
We cannot understand it.
|
|
Cha vod mayd eh y chronnaghey.
|
|
|
Ynrican ta fys ain dy vel eh ayns shen.
|
We only know that it is there.
|
|
Ta shin freayll arrey rish lhiattee y lhiabbee jeh carrey ching.
|
We are keeping watch by the bedside of a sick friend.
|
|
Va aggle geiyrt er treishteil, as va treishteil geiyrt er aggle.
|
Fear follows on hope, and hope follows on fear.
|
|
Keayrt ny ghaa heill shin dy row eh er gheddyn baase.
|
At times we thought that he was dead.
|
|
Agh haink yn ennal reesht as ren eh aa-vioghey.
|
But the breath came again and he revived —
|
|
Ny-yei, fey-yerrey haink y jerrey:
|
Nevertheless at length the end came:
|
|
va’n osney s’jerree er ny lhiggey:
|
the last sigh was heaved:
|
|
va’n ennal s’jerree er ny hayrn:
|
the last breath was drawn:
|
|
ren y cree scuirr dy vwoailley:
|
the heart ceased to beat:
|
|
as dooyrt shin yn derrey yeh rish y jeh elley,
|
and we said the one to the other,
|
|
“T’eh er n’gholl.”
|
“He’s gone.”
|
|
Cre ta er n’gholl?
|
What has gone?
|
|
Yn vioys.
|
The life.
|
|
Cre va shen?
|
What was that?
|
|
Cha s’aym.
|
I do not know.
|
|
Red ennagh cha voddym chyndaa reesht, nagh vod schlei ny deiney s’creeney aachosney.
|
Something I cannot turn back, which the skill of the wisest men cannot restore.
|
|
Shoh ynrican foddee mayd gra, “Yn Chiarn ren coyrt, as ta’n Chiarn er ghoaill ersooyl: bannit dy row Ennym y Chiarn.”
|
This only we can say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath, taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.”
|
|
Myr shen, she gioot Yee yn vioys.
|
So then, life is the gift of God.
|
|
She Eshyn ny lomarcan ta pooaral eh dy choyrt.
|
He only has power to give it.
|
|
Er-y-fa shen shegin da ve er ny vaghey gys Jee.
|
Therefore it must be lived to God.
|
|
Shegin dooin coontey y choyrt jeh gys Jee.
|
We must give an account of it to God.
|
|
Shegin dooin eh y vaghey gys Jee.
|
We must live it to God.
|
|
Nee shoh aashagh?
|
Is this easy?
|
|
Cha nee.
|
No.
|
|
Ta mooarane doillidys ayn, as gleck kinjagh.
|
There is much difficulty, and a continuous struggle.
|
|
Agh cha lhiass dooin failleil, son t’Eshyn, ta’n Vea firrinagh, er hickyraghey dooin, “Ta’n ghrayse Aym’s fondagh er dty hon,” as coyrt nyn dreishteil Aynsyn, ta shin geamagh, “Booise dy row gys Jee ta coyrt dooin yn varriaght.”
|
But we need not fail, for He Who is the true Life has assured us, “My grace is sufficient for thee,” and, putting our trust in Him, we cry, “Thanks be to God Which giveth us the victory.”
|
|
She gioot Yee eisht my vea, as gleck kinjagh noi ny pooaraghyn dy olk.
|
My life then is the gift of God, and a continual struggle against the powers of evil.
|
|
As ta shin fakin ny sodjey.
|
And we see farther.
|
|
She caa mooar my vea.
|
My life is a great opportunity.
|
|
My chaa dy obbraghey magh my haualtys lesh aggle as atchim.
|
My opportunity to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.
|
|
My chaa dy obbraghey son Jee, as dy chooney lesh my heshey-deiney.
|
My opportunity to work for God, and to help my fellow-men.
|
|
She caa feer vooar, agh ny-yei feer ghiare.
|
It is a great opportunity, but nevertheless very short.
|
|
Jeeagh-jee kys dy vel Goo Yee soilshaghey shoh dooin :—
|
See how the Word of God shews this to us,:—
|
|
Te soyllaghey ee rish y scheim dy vodjal: rish kay ta er ny imman roish gollyn ny greiney:
|
It compares it to the trace of a cloud: to mist which is driven before the beams of the sun:
|
|
rish scadoo ta scughey ersooyl:
|
to a shadow that departeth:
|
|
rish gah ta ry-akin son shallid as eisht lheie ersooyl:
|
to vapour that appeareth for a short time and then melts away:
|
|
rieh blaa ta giarit sheeee:
|
to a flower that is cut down:
|
|
rish faiyr ta fioghey:
|
to grass that withers:
|
|
rish duillag ta tuittym:
|
to a loaf that falls:
|
|
rish chaghter siyragh er y raad:
|
to a messenger hurrying on the road:
|
|
rish cooinaghtyn jeh troailtagh goaill aaght laa:
|
to the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day:
|
|
rish coorse ta er ny roie:
|
to a race that is run:
|
|
rish dreamal tra ta fer doostey:
|
to a dream when one awaketh:
|
|
rish smaylyn yn aile ta getlagh lesh yn yrjyd:
|
to the sparks of fire that fly upwards:
|
|
rish bwaag bochilley:
|
to a shepherd’s tent:
|
|
rish troailtys:
|
to a pilgrimage:
|
|
rish spaal fidderagh:
|
to a weaver’s shuttle:
|
|
rish ymmodee reddyn elley myrgeddin:
|
to several other things also:
|
|
agh foddee dy vel y co-chaslys smoo aalin jeu ooilley,—
|
but perhaps the most beautiful image of them all is,
|
|
Fieau er y dooiney poosee: fieau Ersyn ta gra, “Dy firrinagh ta Mee cheet dy tappee.”
|
tarrying for the bridegroom: tarrying for Him Who says, “Surely I come quickly.”
|
|
As te yn lheid cheddin ayns yn ainjys ainhene.
|
And it is the same in our own experience.
|
|
Rish lhing nyn lambanid erlhien dy row yn vea feer liauyr, gyn smooinaghtyn erbee jeh’n jerrey.
|
In the days of our childhood we thought that life was very long, without thinking of the end.
|
|
Rish lhing nyn aegid erlhien foast dy row vea liauyr, as dy row yn jerrey foddey jeh.
|
In the days of our youth we still supposed that life was long, and that the end was far off.
|
|
Ayns blaa nyn eash ghow yn vea toshiaght dy yeeaghyn ny s’giare.
|
In the flower of our age life began to seem shorter.
|
|
Ayns nyn shenn eash ta laghyn nyn lambanid jeeaghyn gollrish jea.
|
In our old age the days of our childhood look like yesterday.
|
|
As ta laghyn, shiaghtinyn, meeaghyn, bleeantyn getlagh ersooyl ny s’bieau as ny s’biean, dy kinjagh coyrt lhieu yn jerrey ny sniessey as ny sniessey.
|
And days, weeks, months, years fly away more quickly and more quickly, continually bringing the end nearer and nearer.
|
|
Cre ta ny caarjyn, ny ainjyssee, ny sheshaghyn jeh nyn aegid?
|
Where are the friends, the acquaintances, the companions of our youth?
|
|
Son yn ayrn smoo t’ad er n’gholl shaghey, gynsaghey dooin cre cha giare as ta nyn mea.
|
For the most part they have gone, teaching us how short is our life.
|
|
Cre ta lught-thie nagh vel y baase er roostey?
|
Where is the family that death has not robbed.
|
|
Ah! cre whilleen ta’n vooinjer ennoil ta er n’gholl gys nyn dhie foddey-farraghtyn.
|
Ah! how many beloved ones have gone to their long home.
|
|
As myr nane lurg nane ta doarlishyn shoh jeant ayns y lught-thie, ta shin goaill toshiaght dy ynsaghey dy vel yn vea giare.
|
And as one by one these gaps are made in the family, we begin to learn that life is short.
|
|
Son shickyrys ta’n vea feer ghiare.
|
Truly life is very short.
|
|
Agh, vel ee ro-ghiare?
|
But is it too short?
|
|
Ta, dy jarroo, ro-ghiare son shiartanse dy reddyn.
|
Yes, indeed, too short for many things.
|
|
Ro-ghiare dy ve er ny yummal;
|
Too short for wasting:
|
|
ro-ghiare son tuittym magh, as streeu, as anvea:
|
too short for falling out, and strife, and discord:
|
|
ro-ghiare son shirrey shin hene y wooiys:
|
too short for seeking to please ourselves:
|
|
ro-ghiare son roshtyn ayns shoh gys yn slane casherickys shen ta soit kiongoyrt rooin.
|
too short for reaching here the perfect holiness set before us.
|
|
Agh, booise dy row gys Jee, cha nee ro-ghiare son arrys firrinagh:
|
But, thanks be to God, not too short for true repentance:
|
|
son gobbraghey magh nyn saualtys hene lesh aggle as atchim:
|
for working out our own salvation with fear and trembling:
|
|
son cur lesh yn gioot gys ymmyd vie:
|
for putting the gift to good use:
|
|
son goaill greme er yn caa-cooie:
|
for laying hold on the opportunity:
|
|
son caggey yn caggey mie:
|
for fighting the good fight:
|
|
son cosney yn attey dy ghloyr nagh jean fioghey ersooyl.
|
for winning the crown of glory that will not fade away.
|
|
Cha vel ee ro-ghiare son jannoo aigney Yee, cre-erbee ta’n Chiarn dy hirrey jeh dagh fer jin er-lheh.
|
It is not too short for doing the will of God, whatever the Lord requires of each one of us individually.
|
|
Myr shoh eisht, shoh yn ansoor ta shin freggyrt,—
|
So then, this is the answer we give,—
|
|
She gioot Yee my vea:
|
My life is the gift of God:
|
|
shegin da my vea ve er ny vaghey Huggeysyn:
|
my life must be lived to Him,:
|
|
shegin dou coontey jeh my vea y choyrt Dasyn:
|
I must give an account of my life to Him:
|
|
shegin da my vea ve caggey kinjagh noi olk.
|
my life must be a continuous struggle against evil.
|
|
Ta my vea yn caa mooar ta er ny choyrt dou ayns shoh er y thalloo dy obbraghey magh my haualtys hene lesh aggle as atchim, as dy obbraghey son Jee liorish cooney jesh feallagh elley.
|
My life is the great opportunity that has been given to me here on earth to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling, and to work for God by helping others.
|
|
Son shickyrys ta my vea ayns shoh feer ghiare:
|
Truly my life here is very short:
|
|
ny-yei, giare ga dy vel ee, ynrican lhig dou y ve firrinagh as biallagh, as bee ee dou yn toshiaght dy veaynid dy bragh farraghtyn;
|
nevertheless, short though it be, only let me be true and obedient, and it will be for me the beginning of eternity;
|
|
son “Eshyn ta jannoo aigney Yee, vees ermayrn son dy bragh.”
|
for “He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
|
|
As nish gys Jee yn Ayr, Jee y Mac, as Jee y Spyrryd Noo, dy row gloyr as ardooashley, reill as pooar, nish as dy bragh.—
|
And now to God the Father, God the Son, ana God the Holy Ghost, be glory and majesty dominion and power, now and for ever.—
|
|
Amen.
|
Amen,
|