Finn Bán to Finn MacUmall:
Na dée dot bennachad, a Fhinn,
The gods bless you, O Finn,
a fhir in chomráid chnesda;
O man of soothing speech;
táncas féin dot ghrésachtsa
I come in need of your stirring words
mar do bí oram egla
Because I was so frightened.
Finn MacUmall to Finn Bán:
Crét fár fágbais t’fhor-aire,
Why did you leave your watch-post,
a Fhinn bháin an droichscél?
O White Finn, with your bad news?
crét as fáth dot chorrachad,
What has you so distracted
fár léigis díot do choimét?
That you could discard your duty?
Finn Bán to Finn MacUmall:
Dúil co ndroichdeilb ndiablaide
A deformed demonic creature,
as mó gráin do’n druing daonda
Uglier than the human host,
ac tiacht cusna fiannaibse
is coming towards the Fianna
atá le siubal saothrach
in an arduous advance.
Ech modarda míscíamach
A sullen, skew-wise horse
ina dhiaid cen chéim deithnis
follows him, dragging its feet;
agastar agarb iarrainn
a rough-hewn halter of iron
atá ar chenn in eich sin
holds the head of this horse
Dá shleig shéta shenlethna
Two precious old broad spears
atá aige dá nimchar
he has, and carries with him;
is lorg d’iarrann aithleghta
a javelin of burnished steel
a chloidem cruaid le ciorrbad:
and his hard sword for hacking;
ach so fáth mo dheithnisse
This is the reason for my speed –
ní thiocfainn co tráthnóna
Or I would have waited ‘til evening!