Ceist faoi dhán Uí Dhíreáin

[Héilics Órbhuí]

“Bíodh acu siúd” an teideal atá aige.

Ag an gcéad dul síos, cad a chiallaíonn sé seo? “Let them have it”, nó.. ? The implication seems to be “let them be how they will be”?

is beag dá bhfeiceann
ag siúl an bheallaigh thú,
is do cheann go hard,
a fheiceann ach cruas
i do ghnúis a choinníos rún,
ná chreidfeadh choíche
ó d’imeacht ríonda
go lifgeadh [sic*] do chroí duit
bheith ar aon nós ach go dúr:
bíodh acu siúd

bíodh do cheann go hard
mar is beag acu
a chuala do scairt gháire
mar a chuala mise
ná a chonaic lena linn
an déad geal dar thugas taitneamh
is mé faoi dhraíocht
ag an imeacht ríonda
is ag an ngnúis a choinníos rún:
bíodh acu siúd

Sin mar a thuigim é:

it is few who see you
walking on your way
your head high
who see other than hardness
in your secretive countenance
no one would believe
from your elegant departure
that your heart would let you
be in any way but stupid
(let them have it?)

let your head be high
for it is few of them
that heart your cry of laughter
as I did
nor saw at the time
the bright tooth that shined
myself spellbound
by the elegant departure
and the secretive countenance
(let them have it?)

Beidh fáílte roimh ghach cheartúchán nó tuairim faoi. B’fhéidir go bhfuil mé mícheart ó bhonn.

[Hugo]

Biodh agat/aige/aici etc. is a common rejoinder expressing disapproval of, but indifference (a shrug of the shoulders) to, the actions or words of the person(s) you’re talking to or about.

1 – A:”Ni chreidim i nDia”. B: “Biodh agat”. (=Well don’t [believe] then/Please yourself.

2 – A: “Maroidh siad thu ma fheiceann siad thu”. B: “Biodh acu” (=Let them [kill me].)

That’s how I understand it anyway. Kind of a DIY explanation, but best I can do in a hurry.
Translation obviously depends on context.

I suppose “Biodh acu siud” is just “Let those (think or do whatever they’re doing or thinking) instead of simple them.

[Héilics Órbhuí]

Thanks a lot for your response. It sounds like, at least according to your definition, I’m not far off. I think I get the Irish version now, but finding a neat translation may be difficult or impossible.

[Onuvanja]

Is breá liom an t-aistriúchán atá déanta agat! Tá cupla focal ann atá sách deacair a aistriú gan eolas cruinn a bheith againn faoi chúlra an dáin.

Cuir i gcás, seans nach “amaideach” a atá i gceist le “dúr”, seachas “crua” (ciall eile leis an bhfocal ‘úd). Ach níl mé cinnte faoi sin. Maidir leis an bhfocal “imeacht”, is iomaí aistriúchán a d’fhéadfadh a bheith air chomh maith, idir “éalú” mar a deir tú, agus “iompar” (caoi ina siúlann duine, a chuid gluaiseachtaí srl).

[Héilics Órbhuí]

Sílim go bhfuil an ceart agat maidir le “dúr”. Ceapaim gur “dall” an chiall atá i gceist, nó rud éicint mar sin, ach nílim féin cinnte de ar aon nós. Tá áthas orm gur thaitin m’aistriúchán leat 🙂

[Author]

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