Mass readings in Scots: Seventh Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading

1 Samuel 26: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

Then Saul gaed doun tae the waste land o Ziph, takin wi him three thousan o the best men o Israel, tae mak search for David i the waste land o Ziph.

David an Abishai cam doun tae the army bi nicht: an Saul wis sleepin inside the broch o carts wi his spear plantit i the yird bi his heid: an Abner an the fowk wis sleepin round him.

Then Abishai says tae David, "God has gien up yer hater intae yer haunds today; nou let me gie him ane blow throuch tae the yird wi his spear, an thare will be na neit tae gie him a second." An David says tae Abishai, "Dinna put him tae death; for wha, withoot sin, can put oot his haund agin the man the Lord has put the holy oil on?" So David took the spear an the vessel o wattir frae Saul's heid; an they got awa withoot any man seein thaim, or bein conscious o their comin, or awakin; for they were aw sleepin because a deep sleep frae the Lord haed come on thaim.

Then David gaed ower tae the other side, an taen his place on the top o a mountain some distance awa, wi a great space between thaim; an then David says, "Here is the king's spear! Let ane o the young men come ower an get it. An the Lord will gie tae ivery man the reward o his richteousness an his faith: because the Lord gien ye intae ma haunds today, an A wadna put oot ma haund agin the man that has been markit wi the holy oil."

[Own translation, level 1/2, 19/2/22. Methodology here]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 102 (103): 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13 (resp. v.8)

Frienly an' kind is the Lord.

My saul, ye maun blythe-bid the Lord; 

and a' in mysel, that name o' his ain sae halie: 

My saul, ye maun blythe-bid the Lord; 

an' forget-na his gates, a' sae kindly: 

Frienly an' kind is the Lord.

Wha rews upon a' yer wrang;  

an' yer dowie turns a', wha heals them: 

Wha redds but yer life frae the mouls;

wha theeks ye wi' gude gree an' kindness: 

Frienly an' kind is the Lord.

Frienly an' kind is the Lord; 

lang or he lowes, and in tholin, ayont a' measur: 

He wrought-na till us as our fauts had been; 

an' pay'd us na hame, like our ain ill-doens: 

Frienly an' kind is the Lord.

Sae far as the east lies awa frae the wast; 

sae far frae oursels has he rax't our wrang-doens: 

Sae sair as a faither can rew on his weans; 

sae sair rews the Lord on them that fear him. 

Frienly an' kind is the Lord.

[From Psalm 103, The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here]

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15:45-49

An sae e Scripter says, 'E first chiel, Adam, wis made a netteral sowl', bit e hinmaist Adam is a life-giein speerit. It's nae e speerit att comes first, bit e netteral first, syne e speeritwal. E first chiel wis made fae e stew o e grun, e neist chiel comes o hivven. Them fa belang tae e stew o e grun are lik e chiel att wis made fae e stew o e grun, them fa are o hivven are lik e chiel fa cam o hivven. An jist as we hiv been lik e chiel att wis made fae e stew o e grun , we'll become lik e chiel att cam o hivven.

[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
Luke 6:27-38

[Jesus said to his disciples:] “But I say to you wha hear: lo’e yere faes! do gude to them wha hate ye. Be blessin them that ban ye; pray for them that ill-use ye. To him that clours ye on ae cheek, gie e’en the ither; and frae him wha poinds yere coat, withhaudna yere cloak as weel. Bestow on ilk ane wha seeks frae ye; and frae him wha taks awa yere gudes, ask them no again. And as ye wad that men soud do to yersels, do ye e’en the same to them likewise. Gin ye loe them that lo’e ye, whatna thanks are thar for ye? for e’en the ill-deedie lo’e thae that lo’e them. And gin aiblins ye do gude to them that do gude to yersels, whatna thanks hae ye for e’en the ill-deedie do the same. And gin aiblins ye lend to thae frae wham ye hope to receive, whatna thanks dae ye win? for the evil lend to the evil, to receive as muckle again. But lo’e ye’re enemies, and do them gude, and lend, lookin for naething back; and yere meed sal be great, and ye sal be bairns o’ the Maist Heigh; for he is kindlie to the ungratefu’ and the reprobate.


"Be ye than mercifu’, e’en as yere Faither is mercifu’. And judge-na, and ye’se be-na judged: condemn-na, and ye’se be-na condemned: release, and ye’se be released. Bestow, and it sal be bestown upon you: gude measur, pang’d doon and jousl’t thegither, and skailin ower, sal they gie intil yere lap: for wi’ yere ain measur that ye measur sal it be gien back to ye.”

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

Mass readings in Scots: Sixth Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading

Jeremiah 17: 5-8

In tha dais the Lord God sais thir thingis:

'Carsit be the man that traistis in man, 

and puttis flesch his arme, 

and his hart gais away fra the Lord. 

For he salbe as bromes in desert, 

and he sal nocht se quhen gude sal cum; 

bot he sal duell in drynes in desert, 

in the land of saltnes, and vnhabitabile. 

'Blessit is the man that traistis in the Lord, 

and the Lord salbe his traist.

And he salbe as a tre quhilk is planntit ouir watris, 

quhilk sendis his rutis wacknes; 

and it sal nocht drede quhen hete sal cum. 

And the leef tharof salbe grene, 

and it sall nocht be mouet in the tyme of drynes, 

nor in ony tyme sal failye to mak fruit.'

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1905) vol 3 here]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 1: 1-4, 6 (resp. Psalm 39:5)

Blythe is the man that haes faith in the Laird!

Oh, blissit he at gangsna wi

The godless, nor will staun

Mids sinfu men, nor sit wi them

At scoff at God’s commaun;

But, day an nicht, fins his delicht,

Ey foremaist abune aa,

Tae ponder lang the thochts amang

O God’s maist halie Law.

Blythe is the man that haes faith in the Laird!

A tree at grows whaur burnie rows

In hairst-time frit sal gíe;

Its leaves sae braw n’er wilt awà -

Sae sal the richtous be.

Blythe is the man that haes faith in the Laird!

But godless men can niver ken

Sic blissins; like they ar

Tae cauf at’s driv’n by wins o heiv’n,

An skailed baith near an far.

[In jidgment they at dinna hae

Regaird for God maun faa;

Nor can they gang at ettle wrang

Wi fowk at loe God’s Law.]

Because the wey o gude men ey

The Lord dis brawly ken;

But, shair as ocht, He’ll bring tae nocht

The gate o godless men.

Blythe is the man that haes faith in the Laird!

[From Psalm 1, (verse 5 in square brackets) from Worship in Scots, 'Psalms for Singin', Thomas Thomson Alexander [originally published as Metrical Psalms in Braid Scots (1928)] (1881 – 1945) PDF here; response from Psalm 40:4 in 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 

I Corinthians 15: 12, 16-20

 And gif Crist is prechit, that he raase agane fra deid, how sais sum amang you, that the aganerising of deidmen is nocht? And gif the aganerysing of deidmen is nocht, nouthir Crist raase agane fra deid. And gif Crist raase nocht, oure preching is vane, our faith is vane. And we ar fundin fals witnessis of Gode, for we haue said witnessing aganes God, that he raasit Crist, quham he raasit nocht, gif deidmen rysis nocht agane. For quhy gif deid men rysis nocht again nouthir Crist raase agane; and gif Crist raase nocht agane, our faith is vanen and yit ye ar in youre synnis. And than thai that haue deit in Crist, haue perischit. Gif in this life aanly we ar hopand in Crist, we ar mare wrechis than almen. Bot now Crist raase agane fra deid, the first fruit of deid men. 

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

Gospel reading
Luke 6: 17. 20-26

And [Jesus] cam doon wi’ [the Twal'], and stude on an even bit o’ grun’: and a great thrang o’ his disciples, and an unco number o’ folk frae a’ Judea and Jerusalem, and the coast aboot Tyre and Sidon, wha cam to hear him, and to be healed o’ their ills.

And he liftit up his een on his disciples, and quo’ he,

“Happy, ye destitute! for yours is God’s Kingdom.
Happy, ye wha are hungerin noo! for ye sal be fill’d!
Happy, ye wha greet noo; for ye sal smile.

“Happy are ye, whan men sal hate ye, and whan they sal separate ye, and misca' ye, and cast oot yere name as vileness, for the Son o’ Man’s sake. Blythe be ye i’ that day, and lowp for joy! for lo! yere meed is great Aboon: for in siclike mainner did their faithers to the prophets.

“But wae for you, ye rich anes! for ye are noo haein yere consolation.
Wae for you wha hae been filled fu' noo! for ye sal hung’er.
Wae for you wha lauch noo! for ye sal greet.

“Alack! whan a’ folk speak weel o’ ye! for e’en sae did their faithers to the fause prophets."

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

Mass readings in Scots: Fifth Sunday of the Year (Year C)

Gospel reading
Luke 5: 1-11

Noo it cam aboot, as the folk panged aboot him to hear God’s word, he stude by Gennesaret Loch. And saw twa boats lying by the Loch; but the fishers war gane frae them, and war syndin their nets. And gaun intil ane o’ the boats -whilk was Simon’s- he wad hae him pit aff a wee frae the lan'; and sittin doon, he was teachin the thrang oot o’ the boat.

And whan he quat speakin, he says to Simon, “Pit oot intil the deep, and lat doon yere nets for a haul.” And answerin, Simon says to him, “ Maister! though we toiled a’ nicht, we tuik nae thing; yet at thy sayin I wull lat doon the nets!” And whan they did this, they took an unco number o’ fish ; and their nets war giean way. And they made signs to their pairtners i' the ither boat, to come and gie them a haun. And they cam; and they filled fu’ baith the boats, sae that they war like to sink.

And Simon Peter, whan he saw, fell doon at Jesus’ knees, cryin, “ Depairt frae me, for I am a sinfu’ man, O Lord!” For amazement overcam him, and a' that war wi' him, on accoont o’ the haul o’ fish they tuik. And e’en sae wi' baith James and John, Zebedee’s sons, wha war pairtners wi' Simon. And Jesus says to Simon, “ Fear-na! Frae this time ye sal tak men!” And, bringin their boats to the lan', they left a’ and follow’t him.

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

Mass readings in Scots: Fourth Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading
Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19

[The word o the Laird cam ti me i the days o Josiah, sayin:]
"Afore ye war formit i the bodie o yer mither A kent ye,
an afore yer birth A made ye halie;
A hae gien ye the wark o bein a prophet ti the nations.

"Sae mak yeirsells reddie,
an gae an say ti thaim awthing A gie ye orders ti say:
dinna be owercum bi fear o thaim,
or A wul send feir on ye afore thaim.
For see, this day hae A made ye
a wallit toun,
an an iron pillar,
an waws o brass,
agin aw the laund,
agin the keengs o Judah, agin its heid yins,
agin its priests, an agin the fowk o the laund.
Thai wul be fechtin agin ye,
but thai wulna owercum ye:
for A im wi ye, says the Laird,
ti gie ye salvation."

[Own translation, level 2 (22/2/19) methodology here]

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 70 (71): 1-6, 15, 17 (resp. v.15)

Ma mou will cry furth yer salvation.

In ye, O Laird, A hae pit ma howp;

lat me niver be shamed.

Haud me sauf in yer richtousness and come tae ma help;

tak tent tae ma vyce an sauf me.

Ma mou will cry furth yer salvation.

Be ma strang Fundament, 

the stranghaud o ma salvation;

for ye ar ma Fundament an ma girth an refuge.

O ma God, tak me oot the haund o the sinner, oot the haund o the ill an bad-myndit man.

Ma mou will cry furth yer salvation.

For ye ar ma howp, O Laird God;

A hae haen faith in ye frae A wis young.

Ye hae been ma uphaud frae the day o ma birth;

ye taen me oot ma mither's wame; ma ruise will aye be o ye.

Ma mou will cry furth yer salvation.

Ma mou will cry furth yer richtousness

an yer salvation the lee-lang day;

O God, ye hae been ma dominie frae A wis young;

An A hae been talkin o yer warks o wunner e'en till nou.

Ma mou will cry furth yer salvation.

[From Psalm 71, 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 Corinthians 12: 31-13: 13

Bot follow ye the bettir spirituale giftis. And yit I schaw to yow a mare excellent way. 

Gif I speke with tungis of men and of angelis, and I haue nocht cheritee, I am made as bras soundand, 

or as a cymbale tinkiland.  And gif I haue prophecie, and knaw al mysteries, and al cunnyng, and gif I haue al faith, sa that I moue hillis fra thar place, and I haue nocht cheritee, I am nocht. And gif I depart al my gudis into the metis of pure men, and gif I betak my body, sa that I brenne, gif I haue nocht cheritee, it proffitis na thing to me. Cheritee is pacient, it is benigne; cherite inuies nocht, it dois nocht wickitlie, it is nocht blawnne, it is nocht couatous, it sekis nocht tha thingis that ar his awne, it is nocht sterit to wraithe, it thinkis nocht euile, it ioyis nocht on wickitnes, bot it ioies togiddir to treuth; it sufifris althingis, it beleues althingis, it hopes althingis, it sustenis althingis. 

Cherite fallis neuir downe, quhethir prophecies salbe voidit, outhir langages sal ceese, outhir science salbe destroyit. For a party we knaw, and a party we prophecie; bot quhen it sal cum that is perfite, that thing that is of party salbe avoidit. Quhen I was a litil child I vndirstude as a litil child, I thoucht as a litil childe: bot quhen I was made a man, I avoidit tha thingis that war of a litil child. And we se now be a myrrour in mirknes, bot than face to face, now I knaw of party, bot than I sal knaw as I am knawne.

And now duellis faith, hope, and cheritee, thir thre; bot the maast of thame is cheritee.

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

Gospel reading
Luke 4:21-30

[Jesus entrit into a synagog and he began to say to thame,] "For in this day this scripture is fulfillit in your eres." And almen gaue witnessing to him, and wonndrit in the wordis of grace that com furth of his mouth . And thai said, "Quhethir this is nocht the sonn of Joseph?"

And he said to thame, "Suthlie, ye sal say to me this liknes, 'Leche, heil thi self.' " The Phariseis said to Jesu, "How gret thingis haf we herd done in Capharnaum, do thou alsa here in thi cuntree."

And he said, "Trewlie I say to you, that na prophet is resauet in his awne cuntree.

"In treuth I say to you, that mony wedois ware in the dais of Helie in Israel, quhen heuen was closit thre yeris and sex monethis, quhen gret hungire was made in al the erd; and to naan of thame was Helie send, bot into Sarepta, of Sidon, to a wedou. And mony lepirmen war in Israel vndire Helisee the prophet; and naan of thame was clenget, bot Naaman of Sirie.

Ande al in the synagog, herand thir thingis, ware fillit with jre (or greef), and thai raase, and drew
him out without the citee, and led him to the top of the hill on quhilk thare citee was biggit, to cast him doun. Bot Jesus passit and went throu the middis of thame.

[From The New Testament in Scots Murdoch Nisbet [c.1520] (1901) vol 1 here]