708: Samson (2)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Samson (2)
An t-seachdain sa chaidh, bha mi a’ bruidhinn mu Shamson. Bha e na nàmhaid do na Philistich. Ghabh e gaol air boireannach air an robh Delilah. Thabhainn na Philistich airgead mòr dha Delilah nam faigheadh i a-mach gu dè bh’ air cùl neart Shamsoin agus mar a b’ urrainnear buaidh a thoirt air.
Chuir Delilah a’ cheist sin air Samson. Thuirt e nam biodh ise ga cheangal le seachd goid ùra nach do thiormaicheadh, nach fhaigheadh e às. Ach fhuair. ’S e breug a bh’ ann. Dh’fheuch i a-rithist. Dh’inns Samson breugan eile.
Mu dheireadh, fhuair i an fhìrinn bhuaithe. Thuirt e rithe, ‘Ealtainn cha tàinig riamh air mo cheann … ma bhearrar mi … falbhaidh mo neart uam… ’
Thug Delilah air Samson a dhol a chadal air a glùinean. Thàinig fear a gheàrr dheth seachd duail a chinn. Dh’fhalbh neart Shamsoin. Thàinig na Philistich. Ghlac iad e agus chuir iad na sùilean aige a-mach gu borb. Chuir iad ann am prìosan e ann an Gasa.
Ma tha sibh eòlach air an sgeulachd, tuigidh sibh nach e seo an deireadh, oir dh’fhàs falt Shamsoin a-rithist. Agus le fhalt, thill a neart.
Bha na Philistich a’ dèanamh gàirdeachas mun bhuaidh a thug iad. Bha Samson air a thoirt a-mach às a’ phrìosan airson fearas-chuideachd a dhèanamh dhaibh. Seo mar a tha e san t-seann Bhìoball – agus a-rithist atharrachaidh mi an t-seann Ghàidhlig dìreach rud beag:
Thuirt Samson … leig dhomh na puist a làimhseachadh air a bheil an taigh na sheasamh a chum gun leig mi mo thaic riutha. A-nise bha an taigh làn dhaoine agus bhan; agus bha uile thighearnan nam Philisteach an sin; agus bha air mullach an taighe mu thimcheall trì mìle fear agus bean ….
Agus ghairm Samson air an Tighearn’ agus thuirt e, O Thighearna Dhè, cuimhnich orm, guidheam ort, agus neartaich mi, guidheam ort … [gus am faigh mi dìoghaltas] air na Philistich airson mo dhà shùl. Agus ghabh Samson grèim don dà phost mheadhanach air an robh an taigh na sheasamh, agus ris an robh e an taic, fear dhiubh le a làimh dheis, agus am fear eile le a làimh chlì.
Agus thuirt Samson, faigheam bàs maille ris na Philistich. Agus phut e le uile neart; agus thuit an taigh air na tighearnan agus air an t-sluagh uile a bha ann; agus bha na mairbh a mharbh e aig a bhàs na bu lìonmhoire na iadsan a mharbh e na bheatha.
Bha Samson ainmeil air feadh saoghal na Crìosdachd airson a neart. Agus bhiodh daoine uaireannan a’ ceangal ris clach mhòr a bha na seasamh leatha fhèin, agus nach b’ urrainn do dhuine sam bith a thogail.
Tha clach de a leithid air mullach cnuic siar air Calasraid – Clach Shamsoin no Samson’s Stone. ’S e clach-shiubhail a th’ innte, a chaidh fhàgail ann le eighr-shruth o chionn fhada. Ach bha na seann daoine ag ràdh gun robh Samson air mullach beinne anns an sgìre – Beinn Lididh, a rèir cuid, ged a bha feadhainn eile ag ainmeachadh Beinn Labhair no Beinn Mhùrlaig Loch Laomainn. Bha Samson ann agus chuir e dùbhlan ro fhir làidir na dùthcha. Thilg e a’ chlach astar mòr. Ach cha b’ urrainn do dhuine eile eadhon a togail. Agus dh’fhàg sin i far a bheil i chun an latha an-diugh.
Faclan na Litreach: nàmhaid: enemy; breug: lie (untruth); an fhìrinn: the truth; Gasa: Gaza; maille ri: along with; clach-shiubhail: glacial erratic; Beinn Lididh: Ben Ledi; Beinn Labhair: Ben Lawers; Beinn Mhùrlaig Loch Laomainn: Ben Vorlich near Loch Lomond.
Abairtean na Litreach: Thabhainn na Philistich airgead mòr: the Philistines offered a lot of money; dè bh’ air cùl neart Shamsoin: what was behind Samson’s strength; mar a b’ urrainnear buaidh a thoirt air: how he could be defeated; seachd goid ùra nach do thiormaicheadh: seven fresh thongs that had not been dried; falbhaidh mo neart uam: my strength will leave me; fear a gheàrr dheth seachd duail a chinn: a man who cut off the seven braids of his hair [head]; chuir iad na sùilean aige a-mach gu borb: they barbarously gouged out his eyes; airson fearas-chuideachd a dhèanamh dhaibh: to entertain them; leig dhomh na puist a làimhseachadh … a chum gun leig mi mo thaic riutha: let me handle the posts … so that I can lean against them; uile thighearnan nam Philisteach: all the rulers of the Philistines; bha na mairbh a mharbh e aig a bhàs na bu lìonmhoire na iadsan a mharbh e na bheatha:the dead he killed at his death were more numerous than those he killed during his life; clach a bha na seasamh leatha fhèin:a stone that was standing on its own; tha clach de a leithid air mullach cnuic siar air Calasraid: there is a stone of that type on a hilltop west of Callander; chuir e dùbhlan ro: he challenged.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: guidheam ort: literally ‘let me beseech you’ but translated as ‘I beseech you’. This type of imperative is rarely used in general speech but is quite common in the Bible and other older texts. The second person imperative, singular and plural, is commonly used, however, eg bi sàmhach! ‘be quiet!’, bithibh modhail ‘be well-mannered’; dèan air do shocair! ‘take it easy!’ But guidheam is an example of a first person singular imperative form. The –am ending gives it away. It is similar in form to the first person singular tense verbal form in Irish Gaelic and I suspect that in old Scottish Gaelic it also carried a basic present tense meaning ie ‘I beseech you’. Here are some other examples: na bitheam fadalach ‘don’t let me be late’ ie ‘may I not be late; dèanam e ‘let me do it’. And, in the Litir, faigheam bàs ‘let me die’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: ma bhearrar mi: if I [ie my head] is shaved. This is a future passive form.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 404
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