Translation of the song Bosenn Langolen artist Tri Yann
Bosenn Langolen
Plague of Langolen
En iliz emañ bodet an holl wazed:
In the church are gathered all the married men:
Erru eo un droug nevez, ur c'hleñved
A new evil has arrived, a sickness
Dirak an aoter bras emaint o pediñ
Before the great altar they are there praying
Sant Yann ha Sant Sebastian d'hon frezerviñ !
Saint John and Saint Sebastian preserve us!
En ur ober un devezh pe zaou pe dri,
In the length of a day or two or three,
Mervel a ra kalz a dud, mui ouzh mui
A great many people were dead, more and more
Hag an holl re-se lazhet gant ar c'hleñved
And all of them were slain by the sickness
A rankomp bemdez kas dillo d'ar vered.
Everyday we must take them to the cemetery.
Ul lizher 'oa an Aotrou Person o lenn:
The Reverend Priest was reading a letter:
« Anv ar c'hleñved-se eo ar vosenn »,
“The name of this sickness is the plague,”
Ul lizher bet kaset din gant hon eskob:
A letter sent to me from our bishop:
« Tud paour, pinijet e vezimp evel Job! »
“Poor people, we are being punished1 like Job!”
Allas! Erru eo ar vosenn er vro-mañ.
Alas! The plague is come to this country.
Doue, petra hon eus graet eneptañ
God, what have we done against you
Ma tag ac'hanomp en un doare ken kriz,
That you treat with us in such a harsh manner,
Ma venn dezhañ kas un ken taer a gastiz?
To bring such a violent punishment upon my head?
Teir sizhun zo tremenet pan erruas.
Three weeks have passed since it came.
Ne chom nemet va mab ha me bey c'hoazh:
There is only my son and myself still living:
« Kuitaomp hon ti ha chomomp barzh ar vered,
“Let us leave our house and stay within the cemetery,
Benn ma varvimp hon daou en douar benniget. »
That the two of us may die on hallowed ground.”