Lyrics: Clannad. Bunan Bui.
A BhuinneA?n BhuA is A© mo chrA? do luA
Is do chnA?mha sAnte ar leaca lom'
Is nach dtearn tA? dAth no dolaidh sa tAr
Is narbh fhearr leat fAon nA? uisce poill.
DA? gcuirfeA? scA©ala fA? mo dhA©in
Go raibh tA? i ngA©ibhinn nA? i ndeacair iot'
A? bhainfinnse bA©im ar Loch Mhic an A?in
A fhliuchfadh do bhA©al is do bhrollach sAos.
NA hiad bhur n-A©anlaith atA? mA© ag A©agaoin
An chuach, an traona nA? an chorr-bhreac
Ach an BuinneA?n BuA, a bhA lA?n de chroA
Is gur cosA?il liom fA©in A© i snua is i ndreach.
BhAodh sA© ag sAorA?l na dA
Is deir daoine go mbAm ar an nA?s sin seal
Is nAl braon dA? bhfuighinn nach ligfinn sAos
Ar fhaitAos go bhfuighinn fA©in bA?s den tart!
Is A© 'd'iarr mo stA?r orm ligint den A?l
NA? nach mbeinnse beo ach seal beag gearr:
Is A© dA?irt mA© lA©i gur chan sA an bhrA©ag
NA? go mb'fhaide do mo shaol an braon seo a fhA?il.
Nach bhfeiceann tA? A©an an phAobA?in rA©idh
Go dteachaidh sA in A©ag den tart ar ball?
Is a dhaoine clA©ibh, fliuchaigA bhur mbA©al
NA? nA bhfuighidh sibh braon i ndiaidh bhur mbA?is!
Oh Yellow Bittern, alas to see you stretched
And your bones there lying on bare flagstones
You did no harm at all in the country
And would just as prefer ditch water to wine
Had you only sent me a message
That you were in a quandry, in need of a drink
I would have broken the ice on the lake
To wet your beak and all the way down to your breast.
I'm not lamenting your ordinary birds
The cuckoo, the corncrake or the dappled heron
But the yellow bittern of the great heart
Who was just like me in many ways
He was always fond of the sup
And people say I'm fond of a drop myself
Whatever drink comes my way, it's down it goes
For fear that I might one day die of thirst!
And my darling asked me to give up the booze
Or I'd only be alive a short while more,
I told her straight out she was telling a lie
And that the drink extended my life's span.
Don't you see that bird with the smooth neck
That only a while ago perished with the thirst?
Ah, my pleasant people, wet your whistles
Because after death ye won't get a drop!
Is do chnA?mha sAnte ar leaca lom'
Is nach dtearn tA? dAth no dolaidh sa tAr
Is narbh fhearr leat fAon nA? uisce poill.
DA? gcuirfeA? scA©ala fA? mo dhA©in
Go raibh tA? i ngA©ibhinn nA? i ndeacair iot'
A? bhainfinnse bA©im ar Loch Mhic an A?in
A fhliuchfadh do bhA©al is do bhrollach sAos.
NA hiad bhur n-A©anlaith atA? mA© ag A©agaoin
An chuach, an traona nA? an chorr-bhreac
Ach an BuinneA?n BuA, a bhA lA?n de chroA
Is gur cosA?il liom fA©in A© i snua is i ndreach.
BhAodh sA© ag sAorA?l na dA
Is deir daoine go mbAm ar an nA?s sin seal
Is nAl braon dA? bhfuighinn nach ligfinn sAos
Ar fhaitAos go bhfuighinn fA©in bA?s den tart!
Is A© 'd'iarr mo stA?r orm ligint den A?l
NA? nach mbeinnse beo ach seal beag gearr:
Is A© dA?irt mA© lA©i gur chan sA an bhrA©ag
NA? go mb'fhaide do mo shaol an braon seo a fhA?il.
Nach bhfeiceann tA? A©an an phAobA?in rA©idh
Go dteachaidh sA in A©ag den tart ar ball?
Is a dhaoine clA©ibh, fliuchaigA bhur mbA©al
NA? nA bhfuighidh sibh braon i ndiaidh bhur mbA?is!
Oh Yellow Bittern, alas to see you stretched
And your bones there lying on bare flagstones
You did no harm at all in the country
And would just as prefer ditch water to wine
Had you only sent me a message
That you were in a quandry, in need of a drink
I would have broken the ice on the lake
To wet your beak and all the way down to your breast.
I'm not lamenting your ordinary birds
The cuckoo, the corncrake or the dappled heron
But the yellow bittern of the great heart
Who was just like me in many ways
He was always fond of the sup
And people say I'm fond of a drop myself
Whatever drink comes my way, it's down it goes
For fear that I might one day die of thirst!
And my darling asked me to give up the booze
Or I'd only be alive a short while more,
I told her straight out she was telling a lie
And that the drink extended my life's span.
Don't you see that bird with the smooth neck
That only a while ago perished with the thirst?
Ah, my pleasant people, wet your whistles
Because after death ye won't get a drop!
Clannad
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