Alas for him who has followed his family profession:
it has befallen Banbha of the fresh soft surface
that in Ireland´s cool green field
one´s father´s natural calling is not the best.

It has come to them,
north and south, that the poetic order
cannot speak of their father´s produce:
let us set about a change of work.

One must not spin the threads of lore;
one must not follow up the branches of kinship;
one must not weave artistry or lyrics;
poetry should not be spoken of.

The first man that professed poetry -
alas that he did not find a substitute:
the dignity he loved was transient;
your arts are a reproach to the scholar.

Alas that the fosterer in lore did not teach
the breaking of steeds, or the steering of ships,
or the yoking of ploughs behind oxen,
to the men who compose lays.

Woe to the scholar who knows not some craft
that would be no cause of censure,
that he might join timbers, or shape a vat,
ere he attained the service of learning.

For alliterative rhapsody
no reverence could be got from men of low crafts;
alas that the refined metal of the wise
wins not for its labour the comfort of serfs.

The honour of poesy is departed;
the credit of this guardianship is gone,
so that the school of Ireland´s land
were better as husbandmen of the ploughland.

Let them not take to themselves
beyond others the scorn of their choice verses;
not they alone,
but the glory of the Gael is despised.

That goodly company that bestow not their wealth -
it is not out of pity for the foreign troops
that they keep the treasures of Freamhann´s hosts -
as for them, they are left destitute.

Because riches have gone astray,
because their possessions, one and all,
have been taken from the youth of Brega,
warmed by goblets, the bounty of these is hindered.

By the ebbing of their waves of courage,
by the hiding of ancestral hears from
the host of Brega of the soft satin cloaks,
by the stopping of exploits and rivalry -

By the abasement of kings´ sons,
lyrics are brought into contempt,
by the concealing of the rights of the kings
before them, by the hiding of the deeds of the Gael.

Since poesy has been accused in the matter
of Gaels, which of them is best in friendship,
and has most often helped her?
Who ought to defend her?

Since need has overtaken
the learned company,
they must take the path they took of old
towards the race of Irial.

Since among them above the host of Banbha
art had its beginning -
Siol Roigh of the ancient smooth dwellings -
to them its end is entrusted.

To prove this, twelve hundred druids
were once constrained
for lack of justice to come
to the great Children of Rudhraighe.

The schools of the land of fair Seadna
are bound to travel in the same path
to the son of Fear Dorcha,
from all the claims that lie heavy upon them.

The winning of the goal has been left
to the valour of one hand,
so that the woodbine of Cobha´s Plain
is their only head of entertainment (?).

It is Magennis
who has offered to rescue Tara´s school;
let others be soft or hard,
to him men have gone for their keeping.

As he takes the prize above every man all through
the hardness of the race of ancient Gaoidheal,
so Art would be supreme in generosity
at the time when charity would be swiftest.

Fear Dorcha´s son gives away his treasures,
other men store up their treasures;
others preserve their fortune,
he lavishes the flower of the world.

Of all the generosity that has left the hearts
of the children of noble Creidhe,
the equal has remained in Art´s single heart,
despite the oppression of the warriors of London.

Like the Hound of the feats he has brought
the order of poets to the house of Art:
today as of old
we have set our hopes upon the blood of Roach.