Pangur Bán

Pangur Bán Anonymous ca. 9th century

"Pangur Bán" is an Old Irish poem, written about the 9th century at or around Reichenau Abbey. It was written by an Irish monk, and is about his cat. Although the poem is anonymous, it bears similarities to the poetry of Sedulius Scottus, prompting speculation that Sedulius is the author. In 8 verses of four lines, the author compares the cat's activities with his own scholarly pursuits. This edition is from the Old Irish Verse section of Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus. An English translation is available at English Wikisource.

The manuscript containing the poem Pangur Bán (at the bottom of the left-hand page)

[ 293 ]

1. Messe ocus Pangur Bán, · cechtar nathar fria saindan
  bíth a menmasam fri seilgg · mu menma céin im saincheirdd.
2. Caraimse fos ferr cach clú · oc mu lebran leir ingnu
  ni foirmtech frimm Pangur Bán · caraid cesin a maccdán.
3. Orubiam scél cen scís · innar tegdais ar noendís
  taithiunn dichrichide clius · ni fristarddam arnáthius.
4. Gnáth huaraib ar gressaib gal · glenaid luch inna línsam
  os mé dufuit im lín chéin · dliged ndoraid cu ndronchéill.
5. Fuachaidsem fri frega fál · a rosc anglése comlán
  fuachimm chein fri fegi fis · mu rosc reil cesu imdis.
6. Faelidsem cu ndene dul · hinglen luch inna gerchrub
  hi tucu cheist ndoraid ndil · os me chene am faelid.

[ 294 ]

7. Cia beimmi amin nach ré, · ni derban cách a chele
  maith la cechtar nár a dán, · subaigthius a óenurán.
8. He fesin as choimsid dáu · in muid dungní cach oenláu
  du thabairt doraid du glé · for mu mud cein am messe.

Notes

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. See Copyright.