An Gàidheal – Lèirmheas
Last week, I gave you riddles that appeared in print in An Gàidheal in
the 1870s. My nose was in the same newspaper this week, and I noticed a
review of a book. The book was written by James Erasmus Phillips. It
was translated into Gaelic by Eobhan MacColla.
James Erasmus Phillips wrote two books with [an] interesting title[s].
The first one
–
Seven Common Faults: Grumbling, Temper, Thoughtlessness, Selfishness,
Over-Anxiety, Indolence and Self-will
.
And the second one – Things Rarely Met With: Patience, Unworldliness,
Resignation, Meekness, Humility, the Love of Enemies
.
And the title of the book in Gaelic? Seven Common Faults –
Seachd Coireachan a Tha Cumanta. Grumbling – Gearan. Temper – Droch Nàdar. Thoughtlessness –
Neo-shuimealachd. Selfishness – Fèin-chùiseachd. Over-Anxiety – Anbharr Iomagain. Indolence – Leisg. And Self-will – Fèin-thoil.
The entire title was – Seachd Coireachan a Tha Cumanta – Gearan, Droch
Nàdar, Neo-shuimealachd, Fèin-chùiseachd, Anbharr Iomagain, Leisg agus
Fèin-thoil. I don’t think it would leap off the shelves today!
The author was proposing Christian ways as a means to avoid the seven
faults. About ‘Grumbling’, he writes this: ‘Censure your children for
it ... at an appropriate time, and when you have a suitable
opportunity, censure your friends [for grumbling, complaining].
‘A grumbling nature,’ he says, ‘is really damaging to the religious way
of life ... It makes us forget that we are always under the care of
God’s Providence.’
James Erasmus Phillips recommends that we follow a good example. ‘You know
that our Blessed Saviour is the example in this matter,’ he writes. ‘ ...
although the treatment He received was often contemptible and scandalous,
not even one time did a complaint come from the lips of Jesus Christ.’
An Gàidheal – A review
An t-seachdain sa chaidh, thug mi dhuibh tòimhseachain a nochd ann an clò
anns a’ Ghàidheal anns na seachdadan dhen naoidheamh linn deug. Bha mo
shròn anns an dearbh phàipear-naidheachd an t-seachdain seo, agus mhothaich
mi lèirmheas de leabhar. Bha an leabhar air a sgrìobhadh le James Erasmus
Phillips. Bha e air eadar-theangachadh gu Gàidhlig le Eobhan MacColla.
Sgrìobh Seumas Erasmus Phillips dà leabhar le tiotal inntinneach. A’ chiad
fhear –
Seven Common Faults: Grumbling, Temper, Thoughtlessness, Selfishness,
Over-Anxiety, Indolence and Self-will
. Agus an dàrna fear –
Things Rarely Met With: Patience, Unworldliness, Resignation, Meekness,
Humility, the Love of Enemies
. Agus saoil cò am fear dhiubh a chaidh eadar-theangachadh gu Gàidhlig?
Seadh – na Seven Common Faults!
Agus an tiotal air an leabhar ann an Gàidhlig? Seven Common Faults
– Seachd Coireachan a Tha Cumanta. Grumbling – Gearan.Temper – Droch Nàdar. Thoughtlessness – Neo-shuimealachd. Selfishness – Fèin-chùiseachd. Over-Anxiety – Anbharr
Iomagain. Indolence – Leisg. Agus Self-will – Fèin-thoil.
B’ e an tiotal gu lèir – Seachd Coireachan a Tha Cumanta – Gearan, Droch
Nàdar, Neo-shuimealachd, Fèin-chùiseachd, Anbharr Iomagain, Leisg agus
Fèin-thoil. Cha chreid mi gum biodh e a’ leum far nan sgeilpichean
an-diugh!
Bha an t-ùghdar a’ cur adhart modhan Crìosdachd mar dhòigh gus na seachd
coireachan a sheachnadh. Mu ‘Gearan’, tha e a’ sgrìobhadh seo: ‘Cronaichibh
ur clann air a shon ... aig àm iomchaidh, agus nuair a tha cothrom
freagarrach [ann], cronaichibh ur càirdean [airson a bhith a’ gearain].’
‘Tha nàdar gearanach,’ tha e ag ràdh, ‘fìor chronail don chaitheamh-beatha
dhiadhaidh ... Tha e a’ toirt oirnn dìochuimhneachadh gu bheil sinn daonnan
fo chùram Freastal Dhè.’
Tha Seumas Erasmus Phillips a’ moladh gun lean sinn deagh eisimpleir. ‘Tha
fhios agaibh gur e ar Slànaighear Beannaichte ar n-eisimpleir anns an nì
seo,’ tha e a’ sgrìobhadh. ‘ ... ged bu tàireil, sgainnealach an
gnàthachadh a fhuair E bitheanta, gidheadh aon uair cha tàinig gearan o
bhilean Ìosa Chrìosda.’
