Mass readings in Scots: Twenty-first Sunday of the Year (Year B)

First reading

Joshua

Then Joshua got aw the clans o Israel thegither at Shechem; an he sent for the responsible men o Israel an their chiefs an their judges an their overseers; an they taen their place. An Joshua says tae aw the fowk, "An gin it seems ill tae ye tae be the servans o the Lord, mak the decision this day whas servans ye wul be: o the gods whas servans yer faithers wes across the river, or o the gods o the Amorites i whas land ye ir leevin: but A an ma houss wul be the servans o the Lord."

Then the fowk i answer says, "Niver wul we gie up the Lord tae be the servans o ither gods; for it is the Lord oor God that has taen us an oor faithers oot o the land o Egypt, oot o the prison-houss, an that did aw thae great signs afore oor een, an kept us safe on aw oor journeys, an amang aw the nations that we gaed throu: an the Lord sent oot frae afore us aw the nations, the Amorites leevin i the land: sae we wul be the servans o the Lord, for he is oor God."

[Own translation level 1/2 21/8/21, methodology here] 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33 (34): 2-3, 16-23 (resp. v. 9)

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

Ilk tide o' my life I'se a blythe-bid the Lord; 

his praise i' my mouthe sal be plene: 

I' the Lord sal my saul be liltin-blythe, 

the feckless sal hear, an' be fain. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

For the een o' the Lord are on rightous folk;

an' his lugs till their bidden are loutit. 

Bot the leuk o' the Lord's again doers o' wrang;

min' o' them frae the yirth till rute it. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

The feckless sigh an' the Lord can hear

an' frae all their fash redds them haillie. 

The Lord 's fu' nar till heart-broken folk; 

an' the wa'-gaen in spreit he sets gailie. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

The wrangs o' the rightous fu' mony be; 

bot the Lord frae them a' has him synder'd: 

Ilka bane o' his bouk tak tent o' sal he;

no ane o' them a' sal be flinder'd. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

The ill-deedie man mischieff sal fell; 

wha ill-will the rightous, awa sal pine : 

The breath o' his servans the Lord sal hae bak; 

an' wha lippen till him, no ane o' them a' sal dwine. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

[From Psalm 34 in The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here] 

Second reading
Ephesians 5:21-32

[Pitt] yersels aneath ane anither, in the fear o’ Christ. Lat wives be in submission to their ain husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the wife’s heid, as Christ is the Kirk’s heid; and he is the Saviour o’ the body. And, as the Kirk submits hersel to Christ, sae the wives, in a things, to their husbands. Ye husbands, lo’e yere wives, e’en as Christ lo’ed the Kirk, and gied himsel up in her behauf, that he micht sanctify it makin it clean wi’ the weshin o’ watir by the word, that he micht present, a’ glorious, to himsel, the Kirk, no wi’ a blotch or a runkle, or ocht sic thing, but that she sould be holie and fautless. Sae soud husbands lo’e their wives as their ain bodies. He that 

lo’es his ain wife lo’es his sel. For nae ane at ony time scunners at his ain flesh, but nourices and cherishes it, e’en as Christ dis the Kirk. For, pairts are we o’ his ain body. “For sae sal a man lea’ his faither and mither, and be Ane wi’ his wife ; and the twa sal become ae flesh.” This is a great riddle ; but I speak in regaird to Christ, and in regaird to the Kirk. 

[From The New Testament in Braid Scots William Wye Smith (1904) here] 

Gospel reading
John 6: 60-69

Tharfor mony of his discipilis herand, said, "This word is hard, quha may here it?" Bot Jesus wittand at himself, that his discipilis murmurit of this thing, said to thame, "This thing sclanndris you? Tharfor gif ye se mannis sonn ascending, quhare he was before?

"It is the spirit that quiknis,
the flesch profiitis na thing;
the wordis that I haue spokin to you, ar spirit
and lif."

"Bot thare ar sum of you that beleues nocht." For Jesus wist fra the beginnyng quhilkis ware trowand, and quha was to betray him. And he said, "Tharfore I said to you, that na man may cum to me, bot it war geuen to him of my fader." Fra this tyme mony of his discipilis went abak, and yede nocht now with him.

Tharfore Jesus said to the xij, "Quhethir ye alsa ga away?" And Symon Petir ansuerde to him, "Lord, to quham sal we ga? Thou has wordis of euirlasting lif; And we beleue, and haue knawnne, that thou art Crist, the sonn of God."

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

Mass readings in Scots: Twentieth Sunday of the Year (Year B)

First reading
Proverbs 9: 1-6

Wisdom has biggit her hoose,

Uphauden by seeven braw pillars;

The beasts hae been kill't for a feast,

The wine's a' forrit an' ready,

An' the buird's been plenish't wi' galore.

She's order't her lassies athort,

An' frae a' the heich pairts o' the toon

She's hoyin an' cryin:--

"Whae'er is feckless amang ye,

Come in-by;

Whae'er has sma' understaun'in,

Come in-ower;

Here's fine feedin for ye,

Here's wine I hae ready."

Quat the auld gangins, ye feckless craiturs;

Come in-by, an' get a gliff o' life,

An' tak ye the airts o' guid understaun'in.

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


Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33: 2-3, 10-15.

I wull bliss the Lord at a' times:
his prayse sail be continwallie in my mooth.
My saul sail mak' hir brag in the Lord;
the lawlie sail heær o't, an' be gladsume.

O feær the Lord, ye his saunts;
for ther is nae inlak til thame that feær him.
The yung lions inlack, an' thole hungir:
but thaye that seik the Lord sallna inlak onie guid thing.

Cum, ye childer, herken untill me;
I wull teech yow the feær o' the Lord.
What man is he that langs efter liffe,
an' loes monie dayes, that he may see guid?

Keep thy tung frae ill,
an' thy lipps frae speikin' gyle.
Flie awa frae ill, an' do guid;
seek peece, an' perzist in it.

[From Psalm 34, The Book of Psalms in Lowland Scots Henry Scott Riddell (1857) here]

Second reading
Ephesians 5:15-20

Tak ye tent, than, to walk cannilie; no as glaikit, but as wyss; and win ye for yersels the opportunity; for the days are ill. And sae, be-na ye simple, but be ye discernin as to what the Lord’s wull may be, and be-na ye fou’ wi’ wine, in whilk is riot ; but be ye fou’ o’ the Spirit, speakin amang yersels in psalms and hymns, and godly sangs, liltin and makin music i’ yere hearts to the Lord, at a’ times giean thanks for a’ things, i’ the name o’ oor Lord Jesus Christ, to yere God and Faither.

[From The New Testament in Braid Scots William Wye Smith (1904) here]


Gospel reading
John 6: 51-58

[Jesus said to the folk:]

"The Leevin Breid that cam doon frae Heeven is mysel;
gin ony man eat this Breid, he leeves for Aye:
and the breid I sal gie
is my flesh, that I wull gie for the warld’s life.”

But the Jews had an unco bruilzie anent it, amang theirsels, and cry’t oot, "Hoo can this man gie us his flesh to eat?”

Than quo’ Jesus to them,

"Truly, truly say I t’ye,
Gin ye eat-na the flesh o’ the Son o’ Man,
and drink his blude,
thar is nae Life in ye!
Wha eats my flesh, and drinks my blude,
wins Life Eternal;
and him wull I raise again at the Last Day.
For my flesh is vera meat,
and my blude is vera drink.
And wha eats my flesh and drinks my blude,
bides in me, and I in him.
E’en as the Evir-leevin Faither sends me,
and I leeve by him,
sae he wha eats o’ me, sal e’en leeve by me!
This is e’en the Breid that cam doon frae Heeven;
no like as yere forebears wha did eat manna,
and dee’t:
wha eats o’ this Breid leaves for aye!”

[From The New Testament in Braid Scots William Wye Smith (1904) here]

Mass readings in Scots: Nineteenth Sunday of the Year (Year B)

First reading

1 Kings 19-48

Elijah gaed a day's journey intae the waste land, an took a seat under a broom-plant, desirin for hissell only death; for he says, "It is eneuch: nou, O Lord, tak awa ma life, for A am nae better than ma faithers." An stretchin hissell on the yird, he slept under the broom-plant; but an angel, touchin him, says tae him, "Get up an hae some meat." An lookin up, he saw bi his heid a bannock cookit on the stanes an a bottle o wattir. Sae he took meat an drink an slept again. An the angel o the Lord cam again a second time, an touchin him says, "Get up an hae some meat, or the journey will be oermuch for yer strength." So he got up an took meat an drink, an i the strength o the meat he gaed on for forty days an nichts, tae Horeb, the mountain o God.

[Own translation, level 1 (7/8/21) methodology here.]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33 (34): 2-9 (resp. v. 8)

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

Ilk tide o' my life I'se a blythe-bid the Lord; 

his praise i' my mouthe sal be plene: 

I' the Lord sal my saul be liltin-blythe, 

the feckless sal hear, an' be fain. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

Mak might o' the Lord wi' me; 

an' his name we'se uphaud thegither: 

I sought the Lord, an' he hearken'd me hame; 

syne redd me frae a' my fluther. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

Folk leuk ay till Him, an' are brighten'd a';

nae gluff o' schame hae their faces:

This puir-body skreigh't, an' the Lord couth hear; 

syne heal'd him frae a' his fashes. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

Na, the Lord's erran-rinner himsel bides about; 

till rax them atowre that are fley'd o' him: 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude; 

blythe be the wight can bide on him. 

Pree ye, an' ken gin the Lord be-na gude. 

[From Psalm 34 in The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here] 

Second reading

Ephesians 4:30-5:2

An dinna kittle up e Haily Speerit o God, cause att's fit bins ye in till e day, i the hinnerein, att ye'll be lowsed. Hae nae mair trock wi strivin, wraith, annger, roarin an shoutin, sweirin an coorse feelin o aa kine. Be gweed tae een anither, tenner-herted, forgie een anither, jist as God his forgien you throw Christ.

Ye're aa God's bairnies, sae ye maun try tae be lik him. Yer hale life maun be een o luv, jist as Christ looed you, an gied himsel up for ye aa as an offerin an a sacrifeece att's sae sweet-scintit att it pleases God.

[From The Doric New Testament (2012), rendered in Doric by Gordon M. Hay, published by G. M. Hay, Longside, ISBN 978-0-9573515-0-9, author's website http://www.doricbible.com/, Amazon UK here, Amazon US here.]

Gospel reading
John 6: 41-51

Than the Jews yammer’t at him, for that he said to them, "I am the Breid that cam doon frae Heeven.” Quo’ they, "Isna this Jesus, Joseph’s son? Hoo is’t than that he says he cam doon frae Heeven?” Sae Jesus answer’t them, and quo’ he,

"Cavil-na amang yersels.
Nae man comes to me, 

gin the Faither wha sent me dinna draw him: 

and I wull raise him again at the Last Day.
The Prophets pat doon:
And God sal teach them a’. 

And sae ilk man wha hears, 

and has taen in the lear o’ the Faither,

comes to me.
No that ony man has e’er set een on the Faither, 

only he wha is o’ God:

he has seen the Faither! 

Truly, truly say I t’ye, 

Wha believes me has Life for Aye!
That Breid o’ Life am I!
Yere forebears did eat manna
i' the wilderness, and dee’t.
But here is the Breid that cam doon frae Heeven, 

that a man may eat o’ it, and no dee!
The Leevin Breid that cam doon frae Heeven is mysel; 

gin ony man eat this Breid, he leeves for Aye: 

and the breid I sal gie

is my flesh, that I wull gie for the warld’s life.”

[From The New Testament in Braid Scots William Wye Smith (1904) here]

Mass readings in Scots: Eighteenth Sunday of the Year (Year B)

First reading

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

An aw the bairns o Israel goldert oot agin Moses an Aaron in the wilderness: an the bairns o Israel said tae thaim, "It wad hae been better for the Laird tae hae pit us tae deith in the laund o Egypt, whaur we war seatit by the flesh-pats an haen breid eneuch for oor wants; for ye hae taen us oot tae this waste o saund tae pit aw thir fowk tae deith throu want o meat."

An the Laird said tae Moses, "The dirdum o the bairns o Israel haes come tae ma lugs: say tae thaim nou, 'At dayligaun ye will hae flesh for yer meat, an in the forenuin breid in fou meisur; an ye will see that A am the Laird yer God.' "

An it come aboot that in the forenicht wee birds come up, an the steid wis happit wi thaim: an in the forenuin the war weet aw roond aboot the tents. An whan the weet wis gaen, on the face o the yird wis a smaw roond thing, like smaw draps o frost on the yird. An whan the bairns o Israel seen't, thay said tae ither, "Whit is it?" For thay haedna a notion whit it wis. An Moses said tae thaim, "It is the breid that the Laird haes gien ye for yer meat."

[From The Old Testament in Scots, vol. 1, The Pentateuch, [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Nummers, Deuteronomy] trans. Gavin Falconer and Ross G. Arthur (2014) (translation into Plain Scots under the auspices of the Ullans Academy) ISBN 978-1-78324-005-0. Amazon US here. Amazon UK here.]

Gospel reading
John 6: 24-35

The folk tharfor, seein that naither Jesus nor his disciples war thar-aboots, took boat, and cam till
Capernaum seekin for Jesus. And whan they had fund him on the ither side o’ the sea, quo’ they
to him, “Rabbi, whan cam ye here?” Jesus answer’t them, and quo’ he,

“Truly, truly say I t’ye,
ye seek me, no sae muckle
that ye saw wunner-warks,
but that ye did eat o’the bannocks, and filled yersels.

Seek-na for perishin meat,
but for that meat that bides until Eternal Life,
whilk the Son o’ Man sal gie ye:
for him has the Faither, e’en God, sealed.”

Quo’ they to him, “And what maun we do, to work the warks o’ God?”  Jesus answer’t them and said, “This is God’s wark, that ye lippen on him God has sent.”  Syne they said to him, “What ferlie div ye schaw, that we could see and lippen? What div ye? Oor forbears did eat manna i’ the waste; as it is putten doon, ‘He gied them breid oot o’ Heeven to eat.’” Than said Jesus to them,

"Truly, truly say I t’ye,
it wasna Moses gied ye the breid oot o' Heeven;
but my Faither he gies ye the raal Breid frae Heeven!
For God’s Breid
is he wha comes doon oot o’ Heeven,
and gies life to the warld.”

Than said they to him, "Lord! -aye gie us sic breid!” Quo’ Jesus to them,

"I am the Breid o’ Life!
wha come to me sal hung’er nae mair:
and wha lippens on me sal be drouthie nevir!"


[From The New Testament in Braid Scots William Wye Smith (1904) here]