Singing sweetly on a tree,
That the dew was on the lawn,
And the wind was on the lea ;
But I didn’t listen to him,
For he didn’t sing to me.
I didn’t listen to him,
For he didn’t sing to me
That the dew was on the lawn,
And the wind was on the lea ;
I was singing at the time
Just as prettily as he.
I was singing all the time,
Just as prettily as he,
About the dew upon the lawn
And the wind upon the lea ;
So I didn’t listen to him
As he sang upon a tree.
James Stephens (1880-1950)
Na hIomaitheoirí
Chuala éan ar maidin,
Ba bhinn é an t-amhrán
Faoin drúcht ar an bhfaiche
Is an ghaoth ar an mbán;
Ach níor éist mé lena rann
Mar nach domsa a chan.
Sea, níor éist me lena rann
Mar nach domsa a chan
Faoin drúcht ar an bhfaiche
Is an ghaoth ar an mbán;
Bhíos-sa féin ag canadh
Chomh binn leis siúd ar m’anam.
Sea, bhíos-sa féin ag canadh
Chomh binn leis siúd ar m’anam,
Faoin drúcht ar an bhfaiche,
Is an ghaoth ar an mbán;
Is níor éist mé leis ainneoin
Go mba bhinn é an t-amhrán.