Manx,English
,Manx Scraps
,"Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, July 08, 1905; Page: 8"
"Parick Noo bannee yn Ellan ain: dy bannee eh shin as yn baatey goll magh dy mie, cheet stiagh ny share, lesh bio as marroo ’sy vaatey. ","St. Patrick who blessed our Island; may he bless us and the boat going out well, coming in better, with living and dead in the boat. "
"Dy bannee yn Noo Pharick shin as nyn maatey, goll magh dy mie as çheet stiagh ny share, ooilley bio as ny merriu marin. ","May St. Patrick bless us and our boat, going out well and coming in better, all alive and the dead with us. [Prayers formerly said by fishermen when putting out to sea.]"
Tra çhionniey ta’n streng s’lickley da brishey. ,When the string is tightest it is nearest to breaking. [A fisherman's saying which means luck will turn when things are worst.]
Fuinney thanney er y veggan meinney. ,"Baking thin with little meal (i.e., making great show of nothing)."
Raad ta moyrnagh ta boghtynid. ,Where there is pride there is poverty.
Raad ta boghtynid çheet te jannoo edd. ,Where poverty comes it makes a nest.
S’booiagh yn voght er yn veggan. ,The poor are content with a little.
Daa red dwoaiagh — boght moyrnagh as dooinney-seyr breagagh. ,Two hateful things — a poor person proud and a gentleman telling lies. 
"Tra cha vel yn argid çheet stiagh, ta’n graih goll magh er yn uinnag. ","When money does not come in, love goes out at the window. (English equivalent—When poverty comes in at the door love flies out at the window.)"
,
Ta ny smoo poosey na vod freayll cowree feayr ayns y cupboard. ,There are more marrying than can keep cold cowree in the cupboard
Cha daink rieau feayraght dys haink yn arragh. ,"Cold never comes until spring, and never comes hardship until buying (i.e., until ’tis time to pay)."
As daink rieau creoighyn dys haink yn chionnagh. ,
Cha der oo enn er ommidan mannngh jean oo clashtyn eh loayrt. ,You will not know a fool unless you hear him speak.
,Another version is—
Cha der oo enn er boght mannagh jean oo clashtyn eh pleateil.,You will not know a fool unless you hear him speak.
Cur bleb er çhaghteraght as nee uss fakm cre’n sorch çhaghter nee eh jannoo. ,Send a fool on a message and you will see what kind of a messenger he will make.
Ta poddash heh mie da moddee aegey. ,"Hot porridge is good for young dogs (i.e., “Experience teaches fools”)."
Nee rouyr eeym toghtey moddey. ,Too much butter will choke a dog.
Our craue da moddey greimmey. ,Give a bone to a snappy dog. 
,Another version is—
"Ceau craue ayns beeal drogh voddey, son cha jean moddee mie cur eh eie ort. ",Throw a bone into a bad dog's mouth for a good dog won't meddle with thee.
Ta feill yn kiark ghoo cha mie as feill y kiark bane. ,The flesh of the black hen is as good as the flesh of the white hen.
Baase mraane as bishagey kirree. ,Death of women and increase of sheep.
"Gow magh dy lhoam, trooid thie dy mullagh, lesh yn eayn bwoirrin as yn coamrey sonney.","Go out bare, come home rough, with the she lamb and the plentiful fleece. [Charm formerly said after sheepshearing.]"
Eiyrt yn bock ta goll. ,Drive the horse that goes. 
Eshyn ta çeet toshiaght dys mwyllin yiow eh chied blieh. ,He who first comes to the mill gets his grist first ground; 
,"i.e., “First come first served.” This was formerly the case both at mill and smithy; every one had his turn.x"
 ,The following proverb shows that Manx milllers were not more honest than their brethren in England : —
,"It was the custom for the miller to grind the farmer’s corn, and to pay himself by taking foilliu."
,"foilliu] “Mulcture, toll given at a mill for grinding.” (Cregeen)."
Goaill foilliu daa keayrt. ,Taking mulcture twice. [An epithet applied to a dishonest person.]
Te kiark boght nagh vod screebey son ny eean. ,“Tis a poor hen which cannot scratch for one chicken.
Sharie ny lomarcan na drogh cumraagyn. ,Better alone than in bad company.
S’mi yn red ta couyral. ,Good is the thing which mends.
Lhig mee-hene goll toshiaght. ,Let myself go first. [The saying is applied to an egotistical person.]
Cha lhiass dhyt goll dys yn jouyl son cairys choud as t’eh cur briwnys. ,Thou need’st not go to the devil for justice so long as he gives judgment. 
,Another version is — 
Cha lhiass dhyt goll dys leigh my ta’n jouyl soie son briwnys.,"Thou neeed’s not go to law if the devil sits for judgment (i.e., ‘Do not expect justice from the devil”)."
Ta eeayst Jesarn ’sy Vayrnt as eayst Jesarn ’syn ouyr. ,A Saturday’s moon in March and a Saturday's moon in harvest is too much once in seven years. 
Keayrt ayns shiaght bleeantyn rouyr. ,
,"It is said that Saiurday’s new moon only falls once in seven years in March and harvest, and it always brought storm and ruin. Hence it was considered unlucky — coming once in seven years too often."
Kellagh Mayrnt nee gurrym dy chooilley oor trooid yn oie; behrt ayns Mayrnt as guirt ayns Mayrnt. ,A March cock will crow every hour through the night : laid in March and hatched in March.
Moyll yn gheurey mie ec Laa Boaldyn. ,Praise the fair winter at May-day.
"My crosh bollan ayns yn sporran,","If a bollan cross is in the purse, You will never go astray."
Cha jean oo dy bragh goll er-shaghryn. ,
"Ollick Feer Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa, ","A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, "
Keyrrey ooilley marroo as shenn ghooinney bio. ,A sheep all dead and an old man alive. 
,"(i.e., May a sheep lie ready for the Christmas fare and the master of the house well. Old Manx Christmas greeting.)"
YN MAARLIAGH KEYRRAGH. ,THE SHEEP THIEF
She Nick beg ny liargagh ,"[Is Little Nick of the slope,"
"Va bwaag echey ayns yn aasagh, ","He had a shed in the wilderness,]"
S’maynrey va ayns shen dooinney ceau e ,[How happy was a man there spending his
"     hraa, hraa, hraa; ","     time, time, time,]"
"Son cha row echey agh goll magh, ","]For he had nothing but going out,"
"As curlesh kione mollagh stiagh, ","And bringing a woolly head in,]"
kione mollagh] keyrrey,
Shen y voayl veagh yn scryssey as yn ,[That’s the place where would be the scraping and the 
"     daah, daah, daah ; ","    dye, dye, dye;"
Shen y voayl veagh yn scryssey as yn ,That’s the place where would be the scraping and the 
daah ,     dye.
,"(There are other and more corrupt versions of the above to be heard, but this version is the best.)"
DISTICH.,
Jack Beg Juan John va singal myr lhon; ,[Little Jack Juan John was singing like a blackbird;
"Ginsh caggey mooar ayns Nherrin, ",Telling (of a) great war in Ireland.]
As Bella Barrule vees cheeet er-y-chooyl ,[And Bella Barrule who will be coming right away
Dy raip e folt as cleayshyn.,To rip her hair and ears.]
"Cray dhoan ec Keeill-Eoin, ","Brown clay at St. John’s, "
"Brashlagh bwee ayns Yurby, ","Wild mustard (poor land) in Jurby, "
"Claghyn glassey ayns Balla-laaghey, ","Grey stones in Ballaugh,"
Guillyn mooar ayns Delby.,Fine lads in Dalby. 
,(Imitation of the song of Kirk Patrick Old Church bell.)
"Dyn glare, dyn cheer. ","No language, no nation."
,"Manx Scraps Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, July 29, 1905; Page: 8"
"[...] lheim, smessey blein er-giyn;","[...] the leap-year, worse the year"
,following
[...] laa Boaldyn Jerdein,[...] when May Day is Thursday
[...] yerrey nee troggal yn eayn,[...] good for the sheep who shall rear the lamb
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[eayst noa] Jesarn ayns bleeaney dy- ,Saturday’s (new) moon in a year 
"liooar ayns shiaght bleeaney, as ta eayst ","is enough in seven years, and a "
noa Jesarn ’syn vlein-lheim dy liooar ayns ,Satturday’s (new) moon in a leap-year is enough in one hundred years.
keead blein,
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"Mannagh jean yn ghrian soilshean er Cronk-ny-Caitnys Shenn Laa Nollick beg, cha bee eh blein mie skeddan.","Unless the sun shines on the Hill of the Desert on Old New Year Day, there will not be a good herring year."
,the Hill of the Desert] A good descriptive old Manx name for Peel Hill.
My ta Cronk-ny-Pheeley coodit dy niaghtey Shenn Laa Nollick beg bee eh blein mie skeddan. ,If the Hill of the Peel is covered with snow on Old New Year’s Day there will he a good herring year.
,"the Hill of the Peel] the fort, i.e., Peel Castle. "
Neear as neear-ass dy vishaghey yn eeast glass. ,West and sou'-west to increase the gray fish  [Alluding to the wind wished for at Christmas by fishermen]
My ta’n gheay ec y niar-hwooie Shenn Laa Souney. ,"If the wind is north-west on Old Hollintide Day, "
Bee eh myr shen three kerrinyn ny bleeaney.,It will be like that three-quarters of the year.
"Ta shin laccal yn gheay ec y niar ec y Chaisht dy eiyrt ny saggyrtyn dys Nherin, as ta shin laccal yn gheay ec y neear ec y Kingeesh dy eiyrt thie ad reesht. ","We want east wind at Easter to drive the priests to lreland, and we want we west wind at Whitsuntide  to drive them home again."
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"Yn gheay voish yn neear roish yn Chaisht dy churlesh ny troailtee dys Moir Agglish Mannin, as yn gheay voish yn niar lurg yn Chaisht dy churlesh thie ad reesht. ","East wind before Easter to carry the pilgrims to the Mother Church in Mann, and west wind after Easter to carry them home again. "
,"Mother Church] i.e., St. Germain’s Cathedral. "
Cha nel fys ec yn muc cre’n aght ta’n goayr beaghey. ,The pig does not know how the goat lives.
FLOUT ER VOOINJER LAXEY. ,A TAUNT FOR THE PEOPLE OF LAXEY
"Maarlee Skeeylley Lonan cha çhiu as ny caaee,","The thieves of Lonan Parish as thick as the corn seeds,"
As d’eiyr ad yn shenn ghuiley[1] sheese lesh yn traie.,And they chased the old boy down towards the shore.
,yn shenn ghuiley] Jouyl. ‘the old boy’ or ‘the devil’.
FLOUT ER VOOINJER RONNAG. ,A TAUNT FOR THE PEOPLE OF RONAGUE
"Ayns Skeeylley Chreest neesht,","In Rushen Parish too,"
Va madgyn neesht.,There were ‘madges’ too.
,"madgyn] See Manx Ballads (A. W. Moore), p. xxvii. (Morrison). “The curious Madgeyn (sic) y Jiass, “Madges of the South,” is a satire by the Peel fishermen on their fellows of Port Erin and Port St. Mary. They designate them as Madges, i.e., as effeminate creatures, and they declare that they are shiftless and impecunious, and quite under the dominion of their wives.”"
Va foddey smessey ayns Ronnag,That were far worse in Ronague
"Lheid ny madgyn shoh,","Such ‘madges’ as these,"
"Cha row rieau bio,","They were never alive,"
T’ad çheet voish foddey as gerrit.,They come from far and near.
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FLOUTYN ER VOOINJER GHELBY,A TAUNT FOR THE PEOPLE OF DALBY
"Hie yn chriy mygeayrt sheear un laa,","The gallows went around west on day,"
As haink eh stiagh er Niarbyl traie ,And they came in on Niarbyl shore
"Dy chroghey mooinjer Ghelby,","To hang the people of Dalby,"
Dy chroghey mooinjer Ghelby.,"To hang the people of Dalby,"
,"The gallows was once swept off Hango Hill by the sea, and washed in on the Niarbyl shore, after which Southside men returned the taunt to their fellows in the West by saying that when the very gallows went round West to hang them it showed how bad they were."
"Va eirey mooar ayns Rhaby mooar,","There was a great heir in Raby Mooar,"
As eirey mooar ayns Ballelby. ,And a great heir in Ballelby.
"Ny sodjey sheear ny smessey sthill, ","Further west worse still,"
"Pyht, pyht, pyht, er vooinjer Ghelby.","Pyht, pyht, pyht, on the people of Dalby."
,"When this was sung, the thumbs were snapped at “Pyht.” A Peel man would say it in the same circumstances as an Irishman would invite one “to stand on his coat.” It was a challenge to a fight, and the finger-snapping expressed derision. It was sung to a dance tune."
,FRAGMENTARY LOVE SONGS.
"“Graih my chree, vel graih ayd orrym?”","Love of my heart, hast thou love for me?” "
"“Ta, red beg cha nel mee follym.” ",“A little I have to give to thee.”
Voish yn red beg haink graih mooar ,From that little soon came more. 
As lurg shen haink graih dy-liooar.,Then came love in fullest store.
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"O! she yn traa va my ghraih’s beaghey ayns y Lagg, ","Oh! It is the time my love was living in the Lagg,#"
V’ish ceau ny goonyn sheidey as ny bussalyn plaid;,She was wearing gowns of silk and hand-kerchiefs of plaid: 
"Son v’ish ben aeg cha aalin — cha naik shiu rieau ny s’booie, ",For she was a maiden young one fairer ne’er you saw. 
V’ish ’skyn dy-chooilley lady ayns ny skeeraghyn twoaie. ,Fairer far than any lady dwelling in the Nor’. 
Co-chiaull. ,Chorus. 
O! she jeelt shiu dou my chabbyl dy voddym nish goll roym ,"’Tis saddle you for me my horse that swiftly ride I may, "
Dy akin graih veg veen my chree son t’ish feer foddey voym; ,All for to see my heart’s dear love who’s very far away : 
Hem’s harrish crink as couanyn as derrey er mee skee. ,"O’er hill and dale I'll go, though worn and weary I may be. "
Dy akin graih veg veen my chree son t’ish feer foddey j'ee.,"To see my heart’s dear little love—far, far away is she."
Peel.      S. M.,
,
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[1] yn shenn ghuiley] Jouyl (Morrison). ‘the old boy’ or ‘the devil’.,