¶1] A good merchant is Cormac, Cian's son for whom the yew-branch bends; a generous hand in bestowing cattle, the best barterer amongst you.
¶2] In Cormac's days never is anyone heard to cheat him in bargaining, that is what makes him of the pleasant, affable countenance easy to beguile.
¶3] Cian's son, he of hardy achievements, the better bargainer is he—beloved hero from Bregia's hills—that each one coaxes him.
¶4] Behold is there any better exchange than the lasting, enduring honor that goes to the pleasant, kindly chieftain in return for vain, transitory wealth?
¶5] Not for long would the riches given by Fermoyle's lord remain, but the praises of his noble, ruddy countenance shall endure eternally.
¶6] None of the goblets or cloaks which all receive from Cormac, nor the [...](?) engraved battle-weapon would endure for even a single thousand years.
¶7] Neither armour nor horse nor shining, carven helmet, nor tunic of soft, blue, sheeny satin, nor valued drinking-cup of variously wrought gold would endure.
¶8] If the wealth of the world were estimated—this is the gist of what ye have heard—save praise alone, there is naught of the earth but [...](?)
¶9] A good merchant is he who exchanged the ephemeral flower that awakens envy—far from the flower is the coming of its fruit—for lasting encomium.
¶10] A good merchant is he who got in return for a worthless, transitory figment the sinccrest of fragrant, lasting panegyric at a time when art was being rejected.
¶11] A good merchant is he that purchases when the discount is greatest the goods on which he depends, or those which he must buy.
¶12] It was for O'Hara, by virtue of his ancestry—unniggardly men of no mean figure—to purchase the fine panegyrics of everyone.
¶13] Cormac son of Cian would never find—the more fitting that poesy should be fully requited—a time in which the stately poems he buys from all would be cheaper than now.
¶14] Throughout Banbha, of the nobles of Bregia's soft, dewy plain, this warrior alone is seeking poetry from us now.
¶15] A hundred times as much as what could be got to-day for polished specimens of the poet's art shall be given for them later on by the hero of Bóromha's, shore.
¶16] When it is cheapest and when fewest are seeking it, that is the very time to cherish the flower of perfect, durably formed poetry.
¶17] Since poetry is cheap to-day, Cormac, if the prophesied one of Crotta's Plain survive, will have an unreckon-able store of the eulogies of all.
¶18] The rover of the hills of Bregia will leave provision for all, gathered when easiest to obtain, of the polished offerings of the poets.
¶19] Good was that man of yore, the mighty, valorous hero of Cashel, who, away in the beginning of time, made just such a provision.
¶20] Famous Mugh Néid, Cormac's gallant, princely ancestor, king of Codhal's strong-aled Plain, made a similar provision.
¶21] The queen of keen Mugh Néid beheld long ago a vision; there was import in the telling of it, she related it to the high-king.
¶22] Seven goodly, thriving cows appeared to that wife of Mugh, she sees the bright, sleek, fair herd around the isle of Ireland.
¶23] And then, moreover, it appeared to her that from the bright, wondrous herd each fair, rosy, white-hazelled plain was flowing with new milk.
¶24] After that herd there appeared to her seven hideous cows, sickening to speak of were the aged, spectral kine.
¶25] With harsh, bitter cries, with ironlike horns; furious as a [...](?) flock; with sunken, burning eyes.
¶26] Not a trace of the young and marvellous herd was left by the frenzied, pugnacious, repulsive, venomous, serpentlike drove.
¶27] Dearg Damhsa, the king's druid, gave the reading of the dream, this is the truth thereof; he hearkened to the learned judgment, its great profit came to pass.
¶28] Thus said the druid, beginning: 'The first seven cows are seven years of abundant milk, perfect in rule and sovranty.'
¶29] 'The other cows, moreover, are seven miserable years of hardship, for Ireland, land of sweetly-murmuring waters, it will be a portent of devastation.'
¶30] 'The woman shall devour the son she carries on her back, the heir shall deny the father, throughout Ireland, smooth, beautiful land of blue streams, from hunger.'
¶31] 'Therefore,' said Dearg Damhsa, 'let provision be made by you ere the first years come to a close, thou bright-limbed king of the Gaels.'
¶32] 'In thy tax or thy tribute from proud Leath Mogha accept not throughout the spreading land of fair, fertile, dewy hills one penny of gold or of silver.'
¶33] 'Do not accept from any in thy royal tribute,' said the king's sage, 'aught else save food as the universal payment.'
¶34] To each thing the druid said to him the king of Áine's brightly-spreading land willingly agreed, he was of one mind with the sage.
¶35] Upon their own summons the Munstermen unanimously attend the son of the high-king, in an ordered multitude around Glandore, in return for aiding their distress.
¶36] Conaire Mór and Maicnia did homage to Eóghan Mór, after the assembling of the territories, most willing (?) were the host to submit to him.
¶37] Mugh Néid was over Munster as a lofty stem among saplings, by reason of his perpetual purchasing of food for the comely assembly of Munstermen.
¶38] The better are his seed ever since that he waited not for the time of high prices, he—bright form before which the sea ebbs—purchased the cheap bargains of the rest.
¶39] The high-king Cormac O'Hara imitates Mugh Néid —two rightful owners of Fál's Cornfield are they—in getting a profitable bargain from us.
¶40] Cian's son who never defended a wrongful deed, it is right that he should be set to merchantry; flower of the stock of Sadhbh's noble blood, a trafficker in the gold of poesy.
¶41] Here is a propitious bargain of perfect work of proven poets for his keen, eager, heavy-lashed eye, from the learned of Eber's Land.
¶42] Till the Day of Doom all that he has purchased of the gold of poesy will remain as an augmentation of fortune and prosperity for the host from Bladhma's peaks.
¶43] The meeter is the time he hath thought to requite the poetic faculty of Laoghaire's Land since the regard of everyone else hath forsaken it; it is a flock without a shepherd.
¶44] The blessing of the poets of Innisfail, the united blessing of the holy men of Ireland; that is the requital of his purchase; blessed is he by whom it is earned.
¶45] On Cian's son who buys encomiums the fortune of the blessing hath settled, from the sole of his soft, smooth, gracious foot to his thickly-curled, stately head.
¶46] Not more to-day than when he was a child is the love of all for his kindly features; the flower of Leyney got as a babe fortune which shall not be denied him.
¶47] Some time in his boyhood he was left as a child, after his kinsfolk had been cut off, ere his bright cheek had reached maturity.
¶48] No trusty friend or comrade had the slender-weaponed youth; he was in peril from his enemies, facing them alone.
¶49] His territory, and moreover his kinsmen, had been wrested from him, so that the builder of Tál's Dwelling was left as the only one of his kindred.
¶50] Then was the ownership of Leyney wrested from him—unkindness enough!—the unrightful man was elevated, and he for a time was outlawed.
¶51] Twenty-one years the man spent, during which neither younger nor elder of Cian's seed settled in their homes, till he himself occupied the land.
¶52] The race of Blod entered into their old fortune17 when Cormac's wrath had run its course, so that the race of Cian were brought in, and obtained their own award.
¶53] Full moon of the south—none the less did the noble young scion obtain kingship for being left as the single man of a kindred.
¶54] None overcame him; it seemed as if those who were plundering the race of Eber against the man were on his side.
¶55] It was more than fortune (?) for the lord of Leyney to obtain the tribute of the blue-surfaced land, after the champions from Tál's Dwelling, in despite of everyone.
¶56] Never before, either here or in Munster of Maicnia, did God grant such fortune as this king's to any of Dergthene's populous seed.
¶57] Pre-eminent fortune, choiceness of form, did the bright-toothed hero of Bregia's castle obtain in the day of his birth; the best of the Lord's first gifts.
¶58] Cormac's beauty was obtained from the Lord, both as regards form and eloquence; from the dear heart to the ruddy countenance are according to the will of Him who ordained them.
¶59] From the sole of his foot to his bright, curly head, there is not one member of the lord of Gáirighe's fair host without some special endowment.
¶60] The gift of agility hath the soft, white foot, of which invaders will be wary; triumph in every activity hath the white hand, a palm that is gentle save in conflict.
¶61] The gift of speech have the crimson lips that bring discontent to women; the gift of intelligence hath the sprightly heart of the spouse of Maiste's Plain.
¶62] From God above he hath excellence of truth and constancy; in the houses of election he hath triumphed in generosity and prowess.