Mass readings in Scots: Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King (Final Sunday of the Year) (Year A)

First reading

Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17

The Lord God sais thir thingis: Lo! I my self sall seke my schepe, and I sal visite thame. As a schephird visitis his flok, in the day quhen he is in the myddis of his schepe scaterit, sa I sal visite my schepe, and I sall delyuir thame fra all places in quhilk thai war scaterit in the day of cloud and of mirknes. I sal feed my schepe, and I sal mak thame to ly, sais the Lord God. I sal seke that that perysit, and I sal bring agane that that was castin away; and I sal bind that that was brokin, and I sal mak sad that that was seke, and I sal kepe that that is fat and stark; and I sal feed thame in dome and richtuisnes (sais the Lord almychtj). [For ye be my flok. The Lord God sais thir things: Lo! I deem betwixt beast and beast, and a wether and a buck of goats.]

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1905) vol 3 here. v.17 adapted from Wycliffe translation Ezekiel 34 - WYC Bible - Bible Study Tools (accessed 18/12/20).]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 22: 1-3, 5-6 (resp.v.1)

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

My Shepherd is the Lord, His hand 

shall a’ my wants supply;

In mony a green and pleasant land

He mak’s me doon to lie.

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

Alang the burn, the wimplin’ burn,

That bubbles ow’r the stanes,

He leadeth me roon’ mony a turn;

By richt ways me constrains.

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

Tho’ in the fearsome vale of woe

I walk and see death near,

Thy rod and staff before me go,

And tak’ awa’ my fear.

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

A table weel laid oot for me

My ill-wishers see spreed;

My cup is brimmin’ ow’r; by Thee 

anointed is my heid.

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

Gudeness and mercy a’ my days

Shall surely follow me,

And ow’r my gratefu’ heid always

God’s holy roof shall be.

My Shepherd is the Lord, 

His hand shall a’ my wants supply.

[Response added. Italicised verses omitted in lectionary. From Psalm 23, version John Stevenson (1903), Pat McCarty, Farmer of Antrim, His Rhymes,  from Ulster-Scots Academy blog http://www.ulsterscotsacademy.com/ullans/2/23rd-psalm.php (accessed 18 December 2020).]

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28

Bot now Crist raase agane fra deid, the first fruit of deidmen: For deid was be a man, and be a man is agane rising fra deid. And as in Adam almen deis, sa in Crist almen salbe quiknyt. Bot ilkman in his ordour; the first fruit, Crist, eftirwart thai that ar of Crist, that beleuet in the cumming of Crist; Eftirwart ane end, quhen he sal betak the kingdome to Gode and to the fader, quhen he sail avoid al princehede, and powere, and virtue. Bot jt behuvis him to regne till he put al his ennimyis vndir his feet. And at the last, deid the ennimye salbe destroyit; for he has made al thingis subiect vndir his feet. And quhen he sais, Althingis ar subiect to him, without dout outtak him that subiectit al thingis to him. And quhen althingis ar subiect to him, than the sonn him self salbe subiect to him, that made subiect althingis to him, that God be al thingis in al thingis.

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1903) vol 2 here]

Gospel reading
Matthew 25: 31-46

[Jesus spak' until his disciples:] "Whan the Son o’ Man sall come in his glory, an’ a’ the haly angels wi’ him, syne sall he sit upon the throne o’ his glory, an’ afore him sall be gather’t a’ nations: an’ he sall shed them ane frae anither, as a shepherd sheddeth his sheep frae the gaits: an’ he sall set the sheep on his richt han’, but the gaits on the left. Syne sall the King say until thae on his richt han’, 'Come, ye blesset o’ my Father, inherit the kingdom preparet for you frae the fundation o’ the warld. For I was hungry, an’ ye gied me meat; I was drouthy, an’ ye gied me drink; I was a stranger, an’ ye teuk me in; Naket, an’ ye claithet me: I was ill, an’ ye visitet me; I was in prison, an’ ye cam’ until me.' Syne sall the richteous answer him, sayin’, 'Lord, whan saw we thee hungry, an’ fed thee? or drouthy, an’ gied thee drink? Whan saw we thee a stranger, an’ teuk thee in? or naket, an’ claithet thee ? Or whan saw we thee ill, or in prison, an’ cam’ until thee?' An’ the King sall answer an’ say until them, 'Verily I say unto you, inasmeikle as ye hae dune it until ane o’ the laist o’ thae my brithren, ye hae dune it until me.' Syne sall he say alsua until them on his left han’, 'Gae awa frae me, ye curset, intil the everlastin’ fire preparet for the deevil an’ his angels: for I was hungry, an’ ye gied me nae meat; I was drouthy, an’ ye gied me nae drink; I was a stranger, an’ ye didna tak’ me in; naket, an’ ye didna claithe me; ill, an’ in prison, an’ ye didna visit me.'  Syne sall they alsua answer him, sayin’, 'Lord, whan saw we thee hungry, or drouthy, or a stranger, or naket, or ill, or in prison, an’ didna minister until thee?' Syne sall he answer them, sayin’, 'Verily I say unto you, inasmeikle as ye didna do it til ane o’ the laist o’ thae, ye didna do it til me.' An’ thae sall gae awa intil everlastin’ punishment; but the richteous intil life eternal."

[From The Gospel of St. Matthew, Translated Into Lowland Scotch, by George Henderson (1862) here]

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-third Sunday of the Year (Year A)

First reading
Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31

A douce an' guid wumman--
Wha'll man' to get her for himsel?
For the worth o' her
Is far abune jewels, red-skinklin.
The hairt o' her ain guidman lippens her brawlie,
An' mony's the blessin she brings him;
It's guid that she daes him, an' nae ill ava,
A' the days o' her life.
She's gleg on the sairch baith for woo' an' for lint,
An' aye wi' her hauns is as eident as can be;
She keeps hersel thrang wi' the rock-an'-the-tow,
An' fu' cantie ower the spinnin-wheel.
But, for a' that, she's an open-hairtit body to the puir,
An', e'en to gangrels, she's kent to hae a raxin haun.
Crackin o' ane abune anither is ticklish wark,
An' bonnieness itsel is only for a gliff;
But a wumman wi' the fear o' the Lord
Is ane that canna be dawtit eneuch;
Lat a' her weel-daein, in this thing an' that,
Be putten doon clear to her credit,
An' sae lat the lave ken richtly aboot it,
Lat the lave o' folks ken hoo she ocht to be laudit.

[From The Wyse-Sayin's o' Solomon [The Book of Proverbs] by T Whyte Paterson; Alexander Gardner (Paisley) 1915 here]

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 127 1-5

O blythe may ilk ane be, wi' dread o' the Lord;
wha gangs i' thae gates o' his ain:
Whan ye pree o' the wark o' yer han's;
fu' blythe sal ye be, an' fu' weel sal ye fen' yerlane.

Yer gudewife, like the fraughtit vine,
by the sconce o' yer houss sal stan';
yer weans, round about yer meltith-buird,
sal growe like the olive wands.

E'en sae, sae blythe sal the wight be,
wha lives in the dread o' the Lord.
The Lord sal blythe-bid ye frae Zioun;
an' on a' that 's guid in Jerus'lem,
ye sal leuk ilka day o' yer life.


[From Psalm 128, The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here]

Second reading
1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6

Bot, brether, of tymes and momentis ye nede nocht that I write to you. For ye you self wate deligentlie, that the day of the Lord sal cum, as a theef in the nycht. For quhen thai sal say pece is, and sickirnes, than suddane dede sal cum on thame, as dolour to a woman that is with child, and thai sal nocht eschape.

Bot, brether, ye ar nocht in mirknessis, that the ilk day as a theef tak you. For all ye ar the sonnis of licht, and sonnis of day; we ar nocht of nycht, nor yit of mirknessis. Tharfore slepe we nocht as vthir; bot wake we, and be we sobire.


[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1903) vol 2 here]

Gospel reading
Matthew 25: 14-30

[Jesus spak' this parable until his disciples:]

"For the kingdom o’ heaven is as a man gaein’ intil a far kintra, wha ca’d his ain servan’s, an’ gied until them his guids. An’ until ane he gied five talents, til anither twa, an’ til anither ane; til ilka man accordin’ til his ability; an’ straughtway teuk his journey. Syne he wha had gotten the five talents gaed, an’ coft an’ trocked wi’ that ilk, an’ made ither five talents. An’ likewaise he wha had gotten the twa, he alsua gainet tither twa. But he wha had gotten ane gaed an’ howket in the yird, an’ hidet his lord’s money. After a lang time the lord o’ thae servants cometh an’ counteth wi’ them. An’, behald, he wha had gotten five talents cam’ an’broucht ither five talents, sayin’, 'Lord, thou giedst until me five talents: behald, I hae gainet forbye them five talents mair.' His lord said until him, 'Weel dune, thou guid an’ faithfu’ servan’: thou hast been faithfu’ owre a few things, I will mak’ thee maister owre mony things; gang thou intil the joy o’ thy lord.' He alsua wha had gotten twa talents cam’ an’ said, 'Lord, thou giedst until me twa talents: behald, I hae gainet twa ither talents forbye them.' His lord said until him, 'Weel dune, guid an’ faithfu’ servan’: thou hast been faithfu’ owre a few things, I will mak’ thee maister owre mony things: gang thou intil the joy o’ thy lord.' Syne he wha had gotten the ae talent cam’ an’ said, 'Lord, I kent that thou art a nippit man, shearin’ whare thou hastna sawn, an’ gatherin’ whare thou hastna strinklet: an’ I was afear’t, an’ gaed an’ hidet thy talent in the yird: behald, there thou hast that whilk is thine ain.' His lord answer’t an’ said until him, 'Thou wicket an’ sleuthfu’ servan’, thou kennest that I shear whare I didna saw, an’ gather whare I haena strinklet:thou sudst therefore hae putten my money to the ockerers, an’ syne at my comin’ I sud hae gotten mine ain wi’ int’rest. Tak’ therefore the talent frae him, an’ gie it until him wha hath ten talents. For until ilka ane that hath sall be gien, an’ he sall hae rowth; but frae him wha hathna sall be taen awa e’en that whilk he hath. An’ cast ye the unprofitable servan’ intil outer mirkness: there sall be greetin’ an’ runchin’ o’ teeth.' "

[From The Gospel of St. Matthew, Translated Into Lowland Scotch, by George Henderson (1862) here]

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-second Sunday of the Year (Year A)

First reading

Wisdom 6: 12-16

Wisdom is glorious, an niver fades awa, 

an is easily seen bi thaim that love her, 

an is found bi thaim that seek her. 

She gangs afore thaim that covet her; she first shaws hersel tae thaim. 

He that awakes early tae seek her, winna labour: 

for he wul find her sittin at his door.

Tae think therefore upon her, is perfit understandin:

an he that watches for her sal quickly be secure. 

For she gangs aboot seekin thaim as are worthy o her, 

an she shaws hersel tae thaim cheerfully i the ways, 

an meets thaim wi aw providence.

[Own translation, level 1 18/12/20. Methodology here]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 62: 2-8 (resp. v.2)

My saul, it maun win till thee, O God, my God.

O God, ye are God o' my ain; wi' the glintin I sought yersel:

my saul, it maun win till thee;

my bouk, it clings for yerlane, 

in a dry drowthy lan', whar nae watirs be.

My saul, it maun win till thee, O God, my God.

Till see ye again i' yer halie howff; 

till leuk on yer might an' yer gloiry syne. 

For yer gudeness is mair nor life, 

my lips sal gie laud till thee.

My saul, it maun win till thee, O God, my God.

Sae blythe maun I bid thee, ay while I live; 

my loov's I maun lift till that name o' thine. 

As wi' creesh an' wi' talch, sal my saul be sta't; 

an' wi' liltin lips sal my mouthe gang free.

My saul, it maun win till thee, O God, my God.

Whan I think o' yersel on my bed o' dule; 

whan I wauken at night, I sal mind on thee. 

For ye 'been a stoop till mysel; 

i' the scaum o' yer wings I sal lilt an' laud. 

My saul, it maun win till thee, O God, my God.

[From Psalm 63, The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here]

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18

For, brether, we will nocht that ye vnknaw of men that deis, that ye be nocht soroufull, as vthir that haue nocht hope. For gif we beleue, that Jesus was dede, and raase agane, sa God sal lede with him thame that ar dede be Jesu. And we say this thing to you in the word of the Lord, that we that levis, that ar left in the cumming of the Lord, sal nocht cum before thame that ar dede. For the Lord him self sal cum doun fra heuen, in the comandment, and in the voce of ane archangcle, and in the trumpet of God; and 

the dedemen that ar in Crist, sal rijse agane first. Eftirwart we that leues, that ar left, salbe rauisit togiddir with thame in cloudis, meeting Crist in to the aere; and sa euirmare we salbe with the Lord. 

Tharfor be ye confortit togiddir in thir wordis.

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1903) vol 2 here.]

Gospel reading
Matthew 25: 1-13

[Jesus spak' this parable until his disciples:]

"Than sall the kingdom o’ heaven be evenet until ten maidens, wha teuk their lamps, an’ gaed furth to meet the bridegroom. An’ five o’ them were wise, an’ five were fulish. They wha were fulish teuk their lamps, an’ teuk nae oulie wi' them: but the wise teuk oulie in their crusies wi’ their lamps. While the bridegroom taiglet, they a’ dover’t an sleepet. An’ at midnicht there was a cry made, 'Behald, the bridegroom cometh ; gae ye out to meet him!' Syne a’ thae maidens rase up, an’ trimmet their lamps. An’ the fulish said until the wise anes, 'Gie us o' your oulie, for our lamps are gane out.' But the wise maidens answer’t, sayin’, 'It maunna be sae, lest there binna eneugh for us an’ you, but gang ye rather til them wha sell, an’ coff for yoursels.' An’ while they gaed to coff, the bridegroom cam’; an’ they wha were ready gaed in wi’ him til the bridal, an’ the door was steeket. Afterward cam’ alsua the tither maidens, sayin’, 'Lord, Lord, open til us.' But he answer’t an’ said, 'Verily I say unto you, I dinna ken ye.' Watch, therefore; for ye ken neither the day nar the hour wharein the Son o’ man cometh."

[From The Gospel of St. Matthew, Translated Into Lowland Scotch, by George Henderson (1862) here]

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-first Sunday of the Year (Year A)

First reading

Malachi 1: 14b-2:2b, 8-10

For A am a gret king, says the Lord o armies, an ma name is tae be fearit amang the gentiles. An nou, O ye priests, this order is for ye. If ye winna gie ear an tak it tae hert, tae gie glory tae ma name, says the Lord o armies, then A wul send the curse on ye an wul put a curse on yer blessin.

Ye are turnit oot o the way; ye hae made the law hard for monie; ye hae made the agreement o Levi o nae value, says the Lord o armies. An sae A hae taen awa yer honour an made ye low afore aw the fowk, e'en as ye haena kept ma ways, an haena gien thocht tae me i usin the law.

Haena we aw ane Faither? Haena ane God made us? Why ir we, ivery ane o us, actin falsely tae his brother, puttin shame on the agreement o our faithers?

[Own translation, level 1, 24/10/20. Methodology here]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 130 

Keep ma saul quate afore you, O Laird.

Laird, the'r nae pride in ma hert,

an ma een isna liftit up;

an A haena taen pairt in great haundlins 

or in things ower haurd for me.

Keep ma saul quate afore you, O Laird.

See, A hae made ma saul

lown an quate,

like a soukin bairn;

ma saul is like a soukin bairn.

Keep ma saul quate afore you, O Laird.

[From Psalm 131, The Old Testament in Scots, vol. 3, The Books of Wisdom, [Job, Psaums, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sang o Sangs] trans. Gavin Falconer and Ross G. Arthur (2014) (translation into Plain Scots under the auspices of the Ullans Academy) ISBN 978-1-78324-006-7. Amazon US here. Amazon UK here.]

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 2: 7b-9: 13

Quhen we, as Cristis apostilis, mycht haue bene in charge to you; bot we war made lytil in the middis of you, as gif a nurise fostire her sonnis; sa we desirand you with gret lufe, walde haue betakin to you, nocht aanly the gospel of Gode, bot alsa our lyves, for ye ar made maast dereworthe to vs. For brether, ye ar mayndeful of our trauale and werynes; that we wirk nycht and day, that we suld nocht greue ony of you, and prechit to you the evangele of God.

Tharforwe do thankingis to God without cesing. For quhen ye hadde takin of vs the word of the hering of God, ye tuke it nocht as the word of men, bot, as it is verralie, the word of God, that wirkis in you that has beleuet.

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1903) vol 2 here]

Gospel reading
Matthew 23: 1-12

Than spak’ Jesus til the multitud an’ til his discipels, sayin’, "The Scribes an’ the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: a’ therfor whatsaeevir they bid yow tak’ tent o’, that tak’ tent o’, an’ do: but dona ye efter their warks; for they say, an’ dona. For they bin’ hivy burdens an’ grevious til be borne, an’ lay them on men’s shouthers; but they themsels wullna muve them wi’ ane o’ their fingirs. But a’ their warks they do for til be seen o’ men: they mak’ braid their phylacteries, an’ widen the bordirs o’ their garmints, an’ loe the uppermaist rooms at feasts, an’ the chief settels in the synigogues, an’ accoustins in the merkits, an’ til be ca’t o’ men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

"But bena ye ca’t Rabbi: for ane is your Maister, een Christ, an’ a’ ye ar brithren. An’ ca’ nаe man your faether upon yirth: for ane is your Father, whilk is in heæven. Næther be ye ca’t maisters: for ane is your Maister, een Christ. But he that is gritest amang ye sall be your servent. For whasaeevir sall lift up himsel sall be casan doun; an’ he that shall humill himsel sall be liftet up."

(From The Gospel of St. Matthew in Lowland Scotch, from the English Authorised Version. By H. S. Riddell (1856) here)