Poetry, Allan Ramsay, The Gentle Shepherd, translation

May 6, '09 7:45 PM for everyone

Key to the translation is;
this colour is the original line
this colour is the translation
this indicates the person speaking
This translation was a request.................I had a little help !!

SCENE I.

PROLOGUE TO THE SCENE.

Beneath the sooth side o a craigy bield,
Beneath the south side of a rocky shelter
Where crystal springs their halesome waters yield,
Where crystal springs their wholesome waters yield
Twa youthfu shepherds on the gowans lay,
Two youthful shepherds on the daisies lay
Tentin their flocks ae bonny morn o Mey.
Tending their flocks one bonny morning of May
Puir Roger granes, till hollow echoes ring;
Poor Roger groaned until hollow echoes ring
But blyther Patie likes to lauch an sing.
But chatting Patie likes to laugh and sing
My Peggy is a young thing,
My Peggy is a young thing

Juist entered in her teens,
Just a teenager
Fair as the day an sweet as Mey,
Fair as the day and sweet as May

Fair as the day an always gay.
Fair as the day and always happy
My Peggy is a young thing,
My Peggy is a young thing
An I'm nae very auld,
And I’m not very old
Yet weel I like to meet her at
Yet well I like to meet her at
The waukin o the fauld.
The waking of the field

My Peggy speaks sae sweetly,
My Peggy speaks so sweetly
Whene'er we meet alane,
Whenever we meet alone
I wish nae mair to lay my care,-
I wish no more to lay my care
I wish nae mair o a' that's rare.
I wish no more of all that’s rare
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly,
My Peggy speaks so sweetly
To a' the lave I'm cauld,
To all the rest I’m cold
But she gars a' my spirits glow,
But she makes my spirits glow
At waukin o the fauld.
At waking of the field
My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
My Peggy smiles so sweetly
Whene'er I whisper love,
Whenever I whisper love
That I leuk doun on a' the toun,-
That I look down on all the town
That I leuk doun upon a croun.
That I look down upon a crown
My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
My Peggy smiles so kindly
It maks me blythe an bauld,
It makes me happy and bold
An naething gies me sic delyte,
And nothing gives me such delight
As waukin o the fauld.
As waking  of the field
My Peggy sings sae saftly,
My peggy sings so softly
When on my pipe I play,
When on my pipe I play
By a' the rest it is confest-
By all the rest it is confessed
By a' the rest that she sings best.
By all the rest that she sings best

My Peggy sings sae saftly,
My Peggy sings so softly
An in her sangs are tauld,
And in her songs are told
Wi innocence, the wale o sense,
With innocence, the choice of sense
At waukin o the fauld.
At waking of the field

And this is the book it all came from.

PATIE.
THIS sunny mornin, Roger, cheers my bluid,
This sunny morning, Roger, warms my blood
An pits a' natur in a jovial mood
And puts me in a natural jovial mood.
How hertsome is't to see the risin plants!-
How heartsome it is to see the rising plants
To hear the birds chirm ower their pleasin rants!
To hear the birds chirp over their pleasant greetings
How halesome is't to snuff the cauler air,
How wholesome it is to sniff the cooler air
An a' the sweets it bears, when void o care!
And all the sweets it bears, when void of care
What ails ye, Roger, then? what gars ye grane?
What ails you Roger, then? What causes your groan
Tell me the cause o thy ill-seasoned pain.
Tell me the cause of your ill seasoned pain

ROGER.
I'm born, O Patie! to a thrawart fate;
I’m born, oh Patiel, to an awkward fate
I'm born to strive wi hardships sad an great!
I’m born to strive with hardships sad and great
Tempests mey cease to jaw the rowin flude,
Tempests may cease to wave the rolling flood
Corbies an tods to grien for lambkins' bluid;
Ravens and foxes to long for young lambs blood
But I, opprest wi never endin grief,
But I, oppressed, with never ending grief
Maun aye despair o lichtin on relief.
Mourn, yes, despair of lighting on relief
PATIE.
The bees shall loathe the flouer, an quit the hive,
The bees shall loathe the flower and quit the hive
The sauchs on boggy grund shall cease to thrive,
The Willows on boggy ground shall cease to thrive
Or scornfu queans, or loss o worldly gear,
Or scornful queens, or loss of worldly wealth
Shall spill my rest, or ever force a teir.
Shall spoil my rest, or even force a tear
ROGER.
Sae micht I say; but it's no easy duin
So may I say, but its not easy doing
By ane whase saul's sae sadly oot o tune.
By one whose soul is so out of tune
Ye hae sae saft a voice, an slid a tongue,
You have so soft a voice and slippery tongue
That ye're the darlin o baith auld an young.
That you’re the darling of both the old and young
If I but ettle at a sang, or speak,
If I but venture at a song, or speak,
They dit their lugs, syne up their leglins cleek,
They block their clumsy fellow from that time, their handled hook*
An jeer me hameward frae the loan or bucht,
And jeer me homeward from the lane or sheep pen
While I'm confused wi mony a vexin thocht.
While I’m confused with many a vexing thought
Yet I am tall, an as weel built as thee,
Yet I am tall, and as well built as you
Nor mair unlikely to a lass's ee;
Nor more unlikely to a lass than you
For ilka sheep ye hae, I'll number ten,
For every sheep you have I’ll number ten
An should, as ane mey think, come farer ben.
And should, as one may think, come further in

*    this line does not translate very well
•    dit = obstruct/ block/ close
•    lugs = projecting part of an object OR clumsy fellow
•    syne = then/ since/ from that time
•    leglins = handle
•    cleek = stick with a crook/ hook

delete reply caffeinatedjo wrote on May 7, '09 Such a beautiful poem, so rhythmic. But I only speak southern English lol so I had to read the translation.

delete reply starfishred wrote on May 6, '09 I understood the first one but this is nice for people who arn't used to it- great work my friend

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 6, '09 I appreciate this, thank you! Makes a big difference. A monumental post, thanks for all the work! It's richer now. your garden is lovely, Loretta.Looks like coral bells, bacopa--love the little white ones, I get them in purple too.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 6, '09 bennett1 said Thank you again. Now I will read it once more. Thank you...............and the others who asked for a translation, it was fun, it has been a while sinse I did any thing like that and there were a couple of words I struggled with. Also of course it has given me a new enthusiasm for the work, I will delve into it a little more too.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on May 6, '09 Thank you! Patie and Roger then are both shepherds, young men. On is gay (happy), one is a bit more gloomy. That is what confused me on first reading. Thank you again. Now I will read it once more.

Poetry, Allan Ramsay, The gentle Shepherd

May 5, '09 6:45 PM for everyone

Portrait of Allan Ramsay (Poet)

by William Aikman (1682—1731)

link back to the tour here
http://lauritasita.multiply.com/journal/item/1281/Poetry_Wednesday_050609_Sign_in_and_take_the_tour

Allan Ramsay; Biography
Allan Ramsay Scottish Poet 1686 – 1758

He was born on the 15th October 1686 at Leadhills, Lanarkshire to John Ramsay, superintendent of Lord Hopetoun's lead-mines and his wife, Alice Bower, a native of Derbyshire, England. He died at Edinburgh on the 7th day of January 1758 aged 73, and was buried in the Greyfriar's churchyard. He was educated at the parish school of Crawford, and in 1701 was apprenticed to a wig-maker in Edinburgh. He married Christian Ross in 1712 and soon established himself as a wig-maker in the High Street. They had six children. His eldest child was Allan Ramsay, the portrait painter.

Allan Ramsay, 1713 - 1784.
Artist (Self-portrait)

Ramsay's first efforts in poetry were inspired by the Easy Club (founded in 1712), of which he was an original member. Within this club he took the pen names  "Isaac Bickerstaff" and  of "Gawin Douglas," the latter in memory of his maternal grandfather Douglas of Muthill (Perthshire), and also to legitimize his claim that he was a "poet sprung from a Douglas loin." . In 1725 he produced his dramatic pastoral THE GENTLE SHEPHERD. In the volume of poems published in 1722 Ramsay had shown his inclination for this type of work, especially in "Patie and Roger," which depicts two of the main characters from The Gentle Shepherd. The success of the drama was/ is remarkable. It has been reprinted into several editions and has been performed in theaters through out Scotland even though its popularity with ordinary Scots people has waned a little over recent years.

Ramsay's importance in literary history is twofold. As a pastoral writer ("in some respects the best in the world," according to James Henry Leigh Hunt) he contributed to the validation of vernacular Scottish language in literature.  His Gentle Shepherd, with its appreciation of country life written in every day lowland language of the day led the break with the established neo-classical tradition. He is also remembered for his importance as an editor. He is the connecting-link between the greater "Makars" of the 15th and 16th centuries, and Robert Fergusson and Robert Burns who came slightly later. He revived interest in vernacular literature, and directly inspired the genius of his greater successors including Burns.

The Gentle Shepherd by Sir David Wilkie
[Scottish Painter, 1785-1841]

Full text of The Gentle Shepherd

http://www.scotstext.org/makars/allan_ramsay/default.asp

Sources

The Gentle Shepherd:
 A Pastoral Comedy,
 by Allan Ramsay;

With eight steel engravings by David Allan;
(David Allan (13 February 1744 – 6 August 1796) was a Scottish painter, best known for historical subjects.)


SCENE I.

PROLOGUE TO THE SCENE.
Beneath the sooth side o a craigy bield,
Where crystal springs their halesome waters yield,
Twa youthfu shepherds on the gowans lay,
Tentin their flocks ae bonny morn o Mey.
Puir Roger granes, till hollow echoes ring;
But blyther Patie likes to lauch an sing.
My Peggy is a young thing,
Juist entered in her teens,
Fair as the day an sweet as Mey,
Fair as the day an always gay.
My Peggy is a young thing,
An I'm nae very auld,
Yet weel I like to meet her at
The waukin o the fauld.
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly,
Whene'er we meet alane,
I wish nae mair to lay my care,-
I wish nae mair o a' that's rare.
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly,
To a' the lave I'm cauld,
But she gars a' my spirits glow,
At waukin o the fauld.
My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
Whene'er I whisper love,
That I leuk doun on a' the toun,-
That I leuk doun upon a croun.
My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
It maks me blythe an bauld,
An naething gies me sic delyte,
As waukin o the fauld.
My Peggy sings sae saftly,
When on my pipe I play,
By a' the rest it is confest-
By a' the rest that she sings best.
My Peggy sings sae saftly,
An in her sangs are tauld,
Wi innocence, the wale o sense,
At waukin o the fauld.

PATIE.
THIS sunny mornin, Roger, cheers my bluid,
An pits a' natur in a jovial mood.
How hertsome is't to see the risin plants!-
To hear the birds chirm ower their pleasin rants!
How halesome is't to snuff the cauler air,
An a' the sweets it bears, when void o care!
What ails ye, Roger, then? what gars ye grane?
Tell me the cause o thy ill-seasoned pain.
ROGER.
I'm born, O Patie! to a thrawart fate;
I'm born to strive wi hardships sad an great!
Tempests mey cease to jaw the rowin flude,
Corbies an tods to grien for lambkins' bluid;
But I, opprest wi never endin grief,
Maun aye despair o lichtin on relief.
PATIE.
The bees shall loathe the flouer, an quit the hive,
The sauchs on boggy grund shall cease to thrive,
Or scornfu queans, or loss o worldly gear,
Shall spill my rest, or ever force a teir.
ROGER.
Sae micht I say; but it's no easy duin
By ane whase saul's sae sadly oot o tune.
Ye hae sae saft a voice, an slid a tongue,
That ye're the darlin o baith auld an young.
If I but ettle at a sang, or speak,
They dit their lugs, syne up their leglins cleek,
An jeer me hameward frae the loan or bucht,
While I'm confused wi mony a vexin thocht.
Yet I am tall, an as weel built as thee,
Nor mair unlikely to a lass's ee;
For ilka sheep ye hae, I'll number ten,
An should, as ane mey think, come farer ben.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on May 6, '09 After reading the translation, and especially knowing both Patie and Roger are men and discussing their worldview, it is a lovely poem.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 6, '09 ok.............if you still want your translation here it is http://forgetmenot525.multiply.com/journal/item/294/The_Gentle_Shepherd_a_translation

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 6, '09 sanssouciblogs said Please give a little translation I will certainly try but it could take a while, interesting project though.................glad you like it

delete reply lauritasita wrote on May 6, '09 sanssouciblogs said Please give a little translation, I want to appreciate it more. I loved this too. Thanks Loretta.

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 6, '09 I can hear this, the accent is lovely, beautiful lilt, beautiful presentation, Loretta. Please give a little translation, I want to appreciate it more.

delete reply starfishred wrote on May 6, '09 this is very lovely loretta thank you-

delete reply bennett1 wrote on May 6, '09 I found it a bit difficult to understand, and I suppose I was thrown off by confusion over whether he loved Patie or Peggy. But the language is beautiful, so even though I did not totally understand it, I found it easier when I said it out loud.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 6, '09 brendainmad said this isn't quite as difficult to understand as I thought it'd be. Thank you Brenda, I do agree that it isn't that hard to underfstand,there are a few words I'm not sure about but on the whole I found it easier than a lot of Burns. I've read quite a few bits and pieces from it and I think it's lovely, quite different to most other things I've read, glad you enjoyed it.

delete reply brendainmad wrote on May 6, '09 This is lovely! I can almost hear their voices as this isn't quite as difficult to understand as I thought it'd be.