Transcript

Bhí beirt mhac ag fear áirid agus dúirt an mac ab óige acu lena athair an roinnt maoine a bhí ag feitheamh dhó a bhronnadh air. Agus roinn sé eatarthu a shaibhreas saolta. Go haithghearr ina dhiaidh sin thiomsaigh an t-ógmhac leis a shubstaint agus bhalaigh leis go tír choithíoch, an áit ar chaith sé a mhaoin go ragairneach.

Thar éis a chuid uilig a bheith caití aige, d'fhreagair gort' mór sa ríocht agus bhí sé i ngéarchall. Chuaigh sé agus thaithigh sé le fear tíorach agus chuir an fear seo ag beathú muc é. Agus ba fonnmhar a d'íosfadh sé fuílleach na muc ach ní rabh fear a chabhrach le fáil. Smaoinigh sé air féin agus dúirt, "Cé mhéad searbhónta páigh i dteach m'athar i mbarr bídh agus beatha, agus mise anseo ag éag le hocras? Rachad go dtí m'athair agus déarfad leis gur pheacaigh mé as a chomhair in aghaidh na bhflaitheas, agus nach fiú a rá gur mac dhó mé. Searbhónta a dhéanamh dhaom."

Agus chuaigh sé chuig an athair. Agus thar éis é a bheith i bhfad uaidh, chonaic an t-athair é agus chuaigh sé chuige agus phóg sé é. Agus dúirt sé leis an athair, "Pheacaigh mé in t'aghaidh agus in aghaidh na bhflaitheas, agus ní fiú dhuit ' rá gur mac leat mé."

D'ordaigh an t-athair dhá shearbhóntaí an chéad (fhrocán) a chur air, fáinne ar a láimh agus bróga faoina chosaí. "Agus tugaidh libh an lao biatach agus maraígí é agus déanaigí subhach sách, mar bhí an mac seo liom marbh agus ar iarraidh. Rinne sé an aiséirí agus tá sé ar fáil slán." Agus rinní siad mar d'ordaigh sé.

San am céannaí, bhí an mac ba sine amuigh sa ngort in aice an tí agus chuala sé an damhsa agus an siamsa a bhí ar bun. Ghlaoigh sé ar cheann dho na searbhóntaí agus d'fhiafraigh sé dhe cén fáth an pléaráca a bhí ar bun. Dúirt sé gurb é a dheartháir a tháinig abhailí, agus gur mharaigh an... a athair an lao biatach le ríméad as ucht é (a bheith) ar fáil. Agus tháinig fearg air agus ní rachadh sé isteach. D'agair an t-athair é agus dúirt an mac, "Tá mise anseo le suim fhad bliantaí ag freastal ort go humhal agus níor thug tú fiú agus mionnán gabhair ariamh dhom le féasta a dhéanamh dho mo chairdí, ach chomh luath agus tháinig an mac mífhortúnach seo agat abhailí a chaith a shaol go drúisiúil rinne tú fleidh agus féasta faoina chomhair."

Translation

A certain man had two sons and the youngest son told his father to grant him the share of wealth which was awaiting him. And he divided his worldly wealth between them. Shortly after that the young son gathered up his wealth and went to a foreign country, where he spent his wealth rakishly.

After spending all his share, a great famine struck the kingdom and he was in dire need. He went with a man of that country and this man put him feeding pigs. And he would have gladly eaten the pigs' leftovers but no man would help him. He thought of himself and said, "How many paid servants have plenty of food and sustenance in my father's house, while I am dying of hunger here? I will go to my father and I will tell him that I have sinned in his presence and against heaven, and that I am not worthy of being called his son. [And I will ask him] to make a servant of me."

And he went to the father. And even though he was a good distance from him, the father saw him and he went to him and kissed him. And he said to the father, "I have sinned against you and against heaven, and I am not worthy of you calling me your son."

The father ordered his servants to put the best coat(?) on him, a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. "And bring the fattened calf and kill it and make merry, because this son of mine was dead and lost. He has risen again and is alive and safe." And they did as he ordered.

At the same time, the eldest son was out in the fields near the house and he heard the dancing and the entertainment that was going on. He called one of the servants and asked him what was the reason for the merrymaking. He said that it was his brother who had come home and that his father had killed the fattened calf out of happiness that he was alive. And he became angry and would not go in. The father pleaded with him and the son said, "I have been serving you humbly for a good number of years and you have never given me so much as a kid goat to make a feast for my friends, but as soon as this trouble-making son of yours came home who lived his life lustfully you prepared a feast and a banquet for him."

Commentary

This telling of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) (together with part 2 from the same speaker) is based on a version supplied to the speaker in advance. See Peadar Ua Laoghaire, Na cheithre soisgéil as an dTiomna Nua (Dublin, 1915), 191-2. The speaker was encouraged to adapt the text to his own dialect.