1
he became a steed
and carried the gods . . .
a stallion
deineadh each de
d'iompair sé na déithe . . .
stail
2
the stars are his bones
the clouds, his flesh . . .
rivers are his entrails
réaltaí iad a chnámha . . .
néalta a cholainn . . .
aibhneacha a ionathar
3
the dawn, his head
the sun, his eye . . .
his breath is the wind
an chamhaoir, a cheann
an ghrian, a shúil . . .
a anáil is ea an ghaoth
4
the foam of waters
hardened and became
the Earth
d’éirigh cúr na n-uiscí
crua agus deineadh
an Domhan de
5
semen became the year . . .
prior to that
no year ever was
dá shíol deineadh an bhliain . . .
roimhe sin
ní raibh bliain ar bith ann
6
when he came on earth
Death opened his mouth for him . . .
he cried out, Bhān!
nuair a saolaíodh é
d’oscail an Bás a bhéal dó . . .
ar sé de bhéic, Bhān!
7
the gods said to Speech
‘sing for us!’
and Speech sang
arsa na déithe le hUrlabhra
‘can dúinn!’
is chan Urlabhra
8
devils rushed upon Speech
and pierced it
with evil
tháinig diabhail de rúid
is chuir an t-olc
san Urlabhra
9
the gods said to the Eye
‘sing for us!’
and the Eye sang
arsa na déithe leis an tSúil
‘can dúinn!’
is chan an tSúil
10
devils rushed upon the Eye
and pierced it
with evil
tháinig diabhail de rúid
is chuir an t-olc
sa tSúil
11
the gods said to the Ear
‘sing for us!’
and the Ear sang
arsa na déithe leis an gCluas
‘can dúinn!’
is chan an Chluas
12
devils rushed upon the Ear
and pierced it
with evil
tháinig diabhail de rúid
is chuir an t-olc
sa Chluas
13
the gods said to the Mind
‘sing for us!’
and the Mind sang
arsa na déithe leis an Aigne
‘can dúinn!’
is chan an Aigne
14
devils rushed upon the Mind
and pierced it
with evil
tháinig diabhail de rúid
is chuir an t-olc
san Aigne
15
the gods said to Breath
‘sing for us!’
and Breath sang
arsa na déithe leis an Anáil
‘can dúinn!’
is chan an Anáil
16
devils rushed upon the Breath
and they were all scattered
to the four winds
tháinig diabhail de rúid
is cuireadh scaipeadh
na mionéan orthu go léir
17
the Chant is sāman
sā is ‘she’
ama is ‘he’
Cantaireacht is ea sāman
sā is ea ‘ise’
ama is ea ‘eisean’
18
the Chant is the gnat
is the fly
is the elephant
corrmhíol is ea an Chantaireacht
cuileog is ea í
eilifint
19
from the unreal to the real
darkness to light . . .
death to immortality
ón mbréag ‘dtí an fhírinne
dorchadas go solas . . .
bás go neamhbhásmhaireacht
20
since there is nothing else
but myself
of what am I afraid?
cad a chuirfeadh eagla orm?
níl aon ní ann
lasmuigh díom féin
21
is tú an t-éan gorm dorcha
pearóid na súl dearg . . .
is tintreach é do leanbh
you are the dark-blue bird
green parrot with red eyes . . .
lightning is your child
22
he is Sūrya : the sun
Parjanya: bountiful rain
he is the wind: Vāyu
is é Sūrya é: an ghrian
Parjanya: báisteach na féile
is é an ghaoth é: Vāyu
23
bogann sé, ní bhogann
istigh atá sé . . .
amuigh
it moves, moves not
it is within . . .
without
24
the seer sees not death
nor sickness, nor distress . . .
only the All
ní fheiceann an saoi an bás
ná tinneas ná buairt . . .
ní fheiceann sé ach an tIomlán
25
he is the world-protector
world-sovereign, lord of all . . .
my self
cosantóir an domhain
rí na cruinne, tiarna os cionn cách . . .
mé féin
26
edge of a razor
hard to traverse . . .
so poets declare
faobhar rásúir
deacair a thrasnú . . .
dar leis na filí
27
this earth
honey for all creatures . . .
all creatures are honey for this earth
an domhan seo
mil do gach neach é . . .
gach neach ina mhil don domhan seo
28
these waters
honey for all things . . .
all things are honey for these waters
na huiscí seo
mil do gach aon ní iad . . .
gach ní ina mhil do na huiscí seo
29
this fire
is honey for all things . . .
all things are honey for this fire
an tine seo
ina mil do gach aon ní . . .
gach ní ina mhil don tine seo
30
this wind
is honey for all things . . .
all things are honey for this wind
an ghaoth seo
ina mil do gach aon ní . . .
gach ní ina mhil don ghaoth seo
31
this sun
is honey for all things . . .
all things are honey for this sun
an ghrian seo
ina mil do gach aon ní . . .
gach ní ina mhil don ghrian seo
32
from earth
from fire . . .
divine Speech enters him
ón domhan
ón tine . . .
gabhann Urlabhra dhiaga ann
33
out of the sky
out of the sun . . .
divine Mind enters him
as an spéir
as an ngrian . . .
gabhann Aigne dhiaga ann
34
out of water
out of the moon . . .
divine Breath enters him
as uisce
as an ngealach . . .
gabhann Anáil dhiaga ann
35
oh, how wonderful
how wonderful, oh
oh, how wonderful!
ó, nach breá é
nach breá é, ó
ó nach breá é!
36
a tree, felled, grows up
new again . . .
from what root grows the slain mortal
an crann a leagtar
fásann as an nua . . .
cén fhréamh atá ag marbhán
37
sun has set and moon has set
fire gone out . .. .
what light is there
grian is gealach ina luí
tine múchta . . .
cén léas atá ann
38
go deimhin, ní grá don bhean chéile
a dhéanann muirneach í . . .
ach grá don Anam
not for love of the wife
is a wife dear . . .
but for love of the Soul
39
not for love of the sons
are sons dear . . .
but for love of the Soul
go deimhin, ní grá don chlann mhac
a dhéanann muirneach iad . . .
ach grá don Anam
40
déanfar Aon de, ní fheiceann sé
ní bholaíonn sé
ní bhlaiseann sé
he is becoming One, he does not see
he does not smell
he does not taste
41
déanfar Aon de, ní labhraíonn sé
ní chloiseann sé
ní smaoiníonn sé
he is becoming One, he does not speak
does not hear
does not think
42
these rivers, my dear
towards the east they flow . . .
westwards they go
na haibhneacha seo, a thaisce
gabhann siad soir . . .
siar a ghabhann
43
ó aigeán go haigéan
is déantar aigéan díobh . . .
as an mBeith dúinne uile
from ocean to ocean
they become ocean itself . . . .
we all come forth from Being
44
bodiless is the wind
clouds, lightning, thunder . . .
all bodiless
níl colainn ag an ngaoth
gan cholainn iad go léir . . .
néalta, tintreach, toirneach
45
may my body be vigorous
my tongue sweet!
may I hear abundantly
go raibh mo cholainn lúfar
mo theanga milis!
mo chluasa géar
46
students of sacred knowledge
come unto me!
hail!
an té atá ag foghlaim na gaoise
tagadh sé chugamsa!
fáilte!
47
is mé a bhogann an crann
mar bheann sléibhe
atá mo cháil!
mover of the tree am I
like a mountain’s peak
my fame!
48
a shining treasure am I
wise, immortal . . .
indestructible
ciste lonrach mé
gaoismhear, neamhbhásmhar . . .
dochloíte
49
this Soul of mine
within the heart . . .
greater than the earth
an tAnam seo
istigh im’ chroí . . .
is mó é ná an domhan
50
like corn
mortals ripen and fall . . . l
like corn they come up again.
ar nós arbhair
aibíonn daoine is titeann . . .
ar nós arbhair, tagaid arís
51
all faces are His faces
all heads, His heads . . .
all necks, His necks
gach aghaidh a aghaidh siúd
gach ceann a cheann siúd . . .
gach muineál a mhuineál siúd
52
the gods love
what is mysterious . . .
what is evident they dislike
is geal leis na déithe
an mhistéir . . .
ní maith leo an rud follasach
53
a little space
within the heart . . .
the heavens and the earth are there!
spás beag
sa chroí istigh . . .
tá na flaithis agus an domhan ann!
54
many never hear of the Self . . .
many hear
but do not understand
is beag duine a chloiseann faoin bhFéin . . .
má chloiseann siad
ní thuigeann siad
55
words cannot reveal him
mind cannot reach him . . .
eyes see him not
ní nochtann briathra é
ní shroicheann aigne é . . .
ní fheiceann súile é
56
the one light is he
that gives light to all . . .
he shines, everything shines
eisean an t-aon solas
a shoilsíonn an uile ní . . .
lonraíonn seisean, lonraíonn gach rud
57
everything that moves
breathes, opens, and closes . . .
lives in the Self
gach rud a bhogann
a análaíonn, a osclaíonn, a dhúnann . . .
maireann san Fhéin
58
in the golden city of the heart
dwells the Lord of Love . . . .
without parts, without stain
i ngairdín órga an chroí
a chónaíonn Tiarna an Ghrá . . .
gan páirteanna, gan smál
59
water becomes one with water
fire with fire, air with air . . .
mind one with Infinite Mind
déantar uisce d’uisce
tine de thine . . .
Aigne Shíoraí den aigne
60
you are the supreme Brahman, infinite
yet hidden in the hearts
of all creatures
tusa an Neach is Airde, síoraí
ach i bhfolach i gcroí
gach neach
61
the Self reveals himself
to the one
who longs for the Self
nochtann an Féin é féin
don té atá ag tnúth
leis an bhFéin
62
in deep meditation
aspirants may see forms . ..
like snow or smoke
i mbun dianmhachnaimh dó
d’fhéadfadh machnóir nithe a fheiscint . ..
sneachta, gal
meditate on him as OM . . .
cross the sea of darkness
at ease
machnaigh air mar OM . . .
cuir an mhuir dhorcha dhíot
gan dua