Mass readings in Scots: First Sunday of Advent (Year A)

First reading
Isaiah 2: 1-5

The redde Isaiah, the son o' Amoz, saw fornenst Judah an' Jerusalem.
Come the hinmaist days it sal be,
the height o' Jehovah's biggin
sal be snod on the head o' the hills,
an' heize'd bune ilka riggin;
an folk frae ilka lan' sal win till't,
like a flude that's rinnin.
An' mony a kin sal win; an' it's ay:
"We maun tak the road;
an' up till the height o' Jehovah,
an' till the biggin o' Jakob's God!
an' he'll airt us the feck o' his gates;
an' his roddins, we'll haud ay by them:
for it's but frae Zioun the right maun gae,
an' the word o' the Lord fra Jerusalem."
It's Himsel, for the folk maun right,
an' wyte 'mang mony nations:
till pleughs syne, their swurds they sal dight,
an' their speirs intil mawin-airns:
an' the swurd, they sal swee nae mair;
an' skaith, they sal ettle nae mair;
the folk again ane anither:

Bot, it's Jakob's houss, i' the light o' the Lord, ye maun come,
an' we'se gang thegither!


[From Isaiah frae Hebrew intil Scottis, by P. Hately Waddell 1879 (Amazon US here; Amazon UK here)]


Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 121: 1-4, 8-9

Fu' fain was I whan they said to mysel,
Till the houss o' the Lord lat us gang:
Our feet, they sal stan'
i' thae yetts o' yer ain, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem 's bigget fu' braw;
like a brugh a bigget a' by itslane:
For thar, niebor-kins, they maun gather an' a':
the Lord's niebor-kins; the trysts o' Israel;

For my brether's saik, for my niebors' saik,
I maun e'en cry, Lown be in thee!
For the houss o' the Lord, that's God o' our ain,
I maun sook a' that's guid for thee!

[From Psalm 122, The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here]

Second reading
Romans 13: 11-14

And, kennin the time, that it is an ’oor e’en noo for us to wauken oot o’ sleep: for noo is oor salvation narer-haun than whan we first believed. The nicht is far gane; the dawin comes on. Pit we awa, than, the warks o’ darkness, and lat us tak the wapins o’ licht! Lat us work, honorably, as in the licht o’ day: no in bruilzies and druckenness, no in lewdness and wantonnese, no in castins-oot and envyin. But pit ye on the Lord Jesus Christ; and hae nae trokin wi' the flesh and its corrupt desires.

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

Gospel reading
Matthew 24: 37-44

[Jesus said untill his discipels:] "But as the days o’ Noe wer, sae sall alsua the comin’ o’ the Son o’ man be. 38 For as in the days that wer afore the fluid, they wer eetin’ an’ drinkin’, marryin’ an’ giein’ in marriage, until the day that Noe enteret intill the airk, an’ kennetna until the fluid cam’ an’ tuik them a’ awa; sae alsua sall the comin’ o’ the Son o’ man be.Than sall twa be in the field; the ane sall be taen, an’ the ither left. Twa women sall be grindin’ at the mill; the ane sall be taen, an’ the ither left.

"Watch therfor: for ye kenna what hoor your Lord deth come. But ken this, that gif the guidman o’ the hous had kennet in what watch the thief wad come, he wad hae watchet, an’ wadna hae tholet his hous til be brokin up. Therfor be ye alsua readie: for in sic ane hoor as ye trowna the Son o’ man comith."

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

Mass readings in Scots: Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King (Year C)

First reading
2 Samuel 5: 1-3

Then aw the tribes o Israel came tae David i Hebron an says, "Truly, we are yer bone an yer flesh. I the past whan Saul wis king ower us, it wis ye that went at the heid o Israel whan they went oot or came i: an the Lord says tae ye, 'Ye are tae be the keeper o ma people Israel an their ruler.' " Sae aw the heid yins o Israel came tae the king at Hebron; an King David made an agreement wi thaim i Hebron afore the Lord: an they put the holy oil on David an made him king ower Israel.

[Own translation, level 1, 18/11/19. For details of methodology see here]

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 121: 1-5

Fu' fain was I whan they said to mysel,
Till the houss o' the Lord lat us gang:
Our feet, they sal stan' i' thae
yetts o' yer ain, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem 's bigget fu' braw ;
like a brugh a bigget a' by itslane:
For thar, niebor-kins, they maun gather an' a':
the Lord's niebor-kins;

the trysts o' Israel;
till gie laud, to the name o' the Lord, wi' a sang.
For thar now are dight, the throns o' the right;
the throns o' King David's line!

[From Psalm 122, The Psalms: frae Hebrew intil Scottis P. Hately Waddell (1891) here]


Second reading
Colossians 1: 11-20

And be confortit in al virtue be the mycht of his cleernes, in al pacience and lang abiding with ioy, that ye do thankingis to God and to the fader, quhilk made yow worthi into the part of heretage of hali men in licht quhilk deliuerit vs fra the power of mirknessis, and translatit into the kingdom of the sonn of his luving, in quham we haue aganebying and remissioun of synnis.

Quhilk is the ymage of Gode vnuisibile,
the first begottin of ilk creature.
For in him althingis ar made,
in heuenis and in erde,
visibile and vnuisibile,
outhir thronis, outhir dominatiounns, outhir princehedis, outhir poweris,
althingis ar made of nocht be him, and in him,
And he is before all,
and al thingis ar in him.
And he is hede of the body of the kirk;
quhilk is the begynnyng
and the first begottin of dede (men),
that he hald the dignitee in al thingis.
For in him it pleisit
al plentee to inhabite,
And be him al thingis to be reconncilit to him,
and made pece
be the blude of his croce,
tha thingis that ar in erdis, outhir that ar in heuenis.

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


Gospel reading
Luke 23: 35-43

An others sterted tae mock [Jesus] as weel, 'He saves ithers -but he canny save himsel. If he comes doon aff there, we'll believe him -even noo! He trusted oan God an said he wis his Son. Weel then -let the Faither save the Son!'

[...]

Then wan o the criminals oan the next cross said tae him, 'Hey freen, are ye no the Christ? Gauny prove it then an save yersel -aye, an us tae while ye're aboot it.' But the other criminal shouted ower, 'Belt up you! We deserve tae die, but this man didny dae ony wrang. Then he whispered ower tae Jesus, 'Will ye keep mind o me?' An Jesus said, 'Today ye'll be wi me in Paradie -I promise...'

[Paraphrase from A Glasgow Bible Jamie Stuart (1997), St Andrew Press, ISBN: 0 7152 0749 0, Amazon UK here, Amazon US here.]

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-Third Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading
Malachi 3: 19-20

For see, the day is comin, it is burnin like an oven; aw the men o pride an aw that dae evil will be dry stems o grass: an i the day that is comin they will be burnit up, says the Lord o Armies, till they hae no a root or a branch. But tae ye that gie worship tae ma name, the sun o richteousness will come up wi new life i its wings.

[Own translation 17/11/19. Level 1. See here for details.]

Gospel
Luke 21: 5-19

And whan some war tellin aboot the Temple, hoo it was buskit wi’ bonnie stanes and offerans, he said, "As to thir things ye look at, the days wull come whan no ae stane sal be left on anither, that salna be dung doon.” And they speirit at him, “Maister; whan, than, sal thir things be? and whatna token sal be gien whan thir things are comin to pass?”

And he said, “Tak tent that ye be-na misleared! for a hantle wull come i’ my name sayin, 'I am he!’ and, ‘The time has come!’ - Gang-ye-na eftir them! And, whan ye may hear o’ wars and tulzies, be-ye-na fley’t; for thir things maun come aboot; but the end is no belyve.” Than said he to them, "Nation wull rise again nation, and kingdom again kingdom; and eke great yirdins, and plagues, and famines wull thar be; unco things o’ dreid, and great tokens i' the lift wull thar be.

“And, afore a’ thae things, they wull lay hauns on ye; and wull persecute -giean ye up to kirks and
dungeons- leadin awa afore kings and governors for my name’s sake. But it sal a’ be for you a
testimonie. Sae, hae it siccar in yere hearts, no to be puttenoot aforehaun aboot makin defence; for I wull gie ye a mooth and wyssheid that no ane o’ thae settin their sels again ye sal be fit to staun up again! But ye’se be gien up, e’en by parents, and brithers, and kin, and freends: and they’se pit some o’ ye to deid; and ye’se be hatit by a’ men, for my name’s sake: but no a hair o’ yere heid sal perish! But patiently thole, and mainteen yere sauls."

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

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-Second Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading

II Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14

It came tae pass also, that seven brethren, together wi their mother, were apprehended, an compellit bi the king tae eat swine's flesh against the law, for which end they were tormentit wi whips an scourges. But ane o thaim, wha wis the eldest, says thus: "Whit wouldst thou speir, or learn o us? We are ready tae dee rather than tae transgress the laws o God, receivit from our fathers."

 

An whan he wis at the last gasp, the second brother says thus: "Thou indeed, o most wickit man, destroyest us oot o this present life: but the king o the world will raise us up, wha dee for his laws, i the resurrection o eternal life."

After him the third wis made a mockin stock, an whan he wis required, he quickly put forth his tongue, an courageously stretchit oot his hands, an says wi confidence: "These A have from heaven, but for the laws o God A now despise thaim: because A hope tae receive thaim again from him." Sae that the king, an they that were wi him, wonderit at the young man's courage, because he esteemit the torments as nothin. An after he wis thus dead, they tormentit the fourth i the like manner. An whan he wis now ready tae dee, he spoke thus: "It is better, bein put tae death bi men, tae leuk for hope from God, tae be raisit up again bi him: for, as tae thee thou shalt have nae resurrection unto life."

[Own translation, level 1 (28/6/22). For methodology see here.]

Gospel reading
Luke 20: 27-38

And thar cam to him a wheen o’ the Sadducees, wha say thar is nae Risin-again; and they speir’t at him, sayin, “Master! Moses pat doon for us: Gin aiblins a man’s brither soud dee, haein a wife, and he be bairn-less, that his brither, soud tak the wife, and raise up seed to his brither. Noo, thar war seeven brithers; and the first, takin a wife, dee’t bairn-less. And the second; and he dee’t bairnless. And the third had her; and, i’ the same way the seeven -they left nae bairn, and dee’t. And eftir, the wumman too dee’t. And sae, i’ the Risin again, whase wife o’ them sal she be? For the seven had her a wife.”

And Jesus said to them, “The bairns o’ this warld mairry, and are gien in mairriage; but they that are coontit wordie that warld to obteen, and the Risin-again frae the deid, naither mairry nor are gien in mairriage. Naither can they dee ony mair; for they are as the Angels; and are sons o’ God, bein sons o’ the Risin-again. But, that the deid are to be rais’t, e’en Moses schaws at The Buss, whan he ca’s Jehova[h], ‘The God o’ Abra’m, the God o’ Isaac, and the God o’ Jaucob.’ Noo, he isna the God o’ deid men, but o’ leevin; for to him are a' to leeve!”


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

Mass readings in Scots: Thirty-First Sunday of the Year (Year C)

First reading
Wisdom 11:22 - 12:2

For the haill warld afore thee is as the laest corn i the balance,
an as a drap o the mornin dew, that faws doun onti the yird:
but thou haes mercie on aw, acause thou can dae aw things,
an owerluiks the sins o men for the sake o repentance.
For thou luivs aw things that ir, an hates nane o the things that thou haes made:
for thou didna appoint, or mak onie thing hatin it.
An hou coud onie thing bide, gin thou wadna?
or be preserved, gin no callit bi thee?
But thou spares aw: acause thai ir thyne, O Laird, wha luivs sauls.
O hou guid an douce is thy spreit, O Laird, i aw things!
An sae thou chastises thaim that err, bi littil an littil:
an admonishes thaim, an speiks ti thaim, anent the things whaur thai offend:
that leivin thair wickedness, thai can believe i thee, O Laird.

[Own translation, level 2  18/11/19. For methodology see here.]

Responsorial Psalm 

Psalm 144: 1-2, 8-11, 13-14, (resp. v1) [In order to preserve the acrostic of the translation, the complete version is given below.]

1.

Ah, my God at’s Kíng, I’ll heize ee,

   an ey an iver bliss thy name;

Blissin ilka day I’ll wage ee,

   an ey an iver laud thy name.

Certie God is braid out laudit,

   an richtlie sae sen gryte is he;

Deed, his gryteness is onendin, 

   an fathomit it canna be.

2.

Eentil their bairns, bairns sal praise ee,

   an weil furthshaw thy michtie acks;

Fair that kinglie glore they’l speak o,

   an I’ll admire thy wunner-warks.

'Gryte thy ferlies,' fowk sal witness,

   an I’ll declare thy celsitude;

Hie that richtousness they’l lilt o,

   an sing the fame ey o thy gude.

3.

It’s the Lord at’s grâcious, louin

   juist; slaw tae low, he rues richt fain:

Kind an gude the Lord til aab’dy,

   an’s pitie’s ower his warks ilk ane.

Lord, thy warks, they aa maun thank ee, 

   an saunts o thine maun speak ee fair!

Maun declare thy kinrik’s glorie,

   an on thy pour maun wurds ey ware

4.

Name they, syne, fore aa God’s ferlies,

   an hou in splendour shines his swey;

Oh, thy realm’s a realm onendin,

   an dures thy rewl ower aa for ey!

Plain the Lord’s in’s ilk wurd faithfu,

   an grâcious in ilk ack o’s maucht -

Quite his thing tae stoop aa cowpin, 

   an aa as gang twa-fauld tae straucht.

5.

Richt the een o aa leuk til ee;

   an thou gies meat til thaim belyve,

Spreidin brawlie braid thy loof, Lord,

   an toomin routh on aa alive.

‘Tis the Lord at’s just in aa’s gates,

   an kindlie in his ilka deed:

Unco near til aa cry’n on him,

veracitie in pray’n he heeds.

6.

Wha revere him, God dis fauvour

   an saufs them, hearkenin their cry;

eXtra care taks o wha lo him,

   an aa wha’r wicket he’l ding by:

Yea, his laud my mouth s’ be tellin,

   an singin o the Lord aawey;

Zionart lat aa heize blissin,

   an praise his halie name for ey.

[From Psalm 145 in Worship in Scots, 'Psalms for Singing' Church of Scotland resource accessed 20/09/22)  https://churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/worship-in-scots]

Gospel reading
Luke 19: 1-10

When Jesus went oan inty Jericho, there wis this man cawd Zacchaeus. He wis the heid tax man for the district an so wis quite rich -in fact he wis really loaded! But though he had plenty o money, he wisny whit ye might caw happy, an he wis dead keen tae meet this Jesus he'd heard aw aboot. Zacchaeus, bein a wee man, canny get near oan account o the great crowd o folk roon aboot Jesus. So he decides tae sclim up a sycamore tree beside the road tae watch. When Jesus eventually comes alang, he spies Zacchaeus. Lookin up, he shouts, 'Hi there, wee man -come doon will ye! Ah've decided tae invite masel tae yer hoose for a meal this efternin.' Tae say that wee Zacchaeus wis fair chuffed is pittin it mildly! But the rest o the folk, by the wey, wir no very pleased that Jesus wis gauny eat wi a bloke they cawd a crook. But already Zacchaeus is a chinged man! He says tae Jesus, 'Lord, see me? Ah'm gauny gie hauf o ma money tae the puir. An ah'll promise tae look efter aw the folk that ah've cheated, so ah will.' Jesus turned roon tae the dumfoonert crowd an telt them tae haud their wheesht: 'This man wis a sinner,' he said. 'He's fund peace at last.'

[From 'Zacchaeus' in A Glasgow Bible, Stuart 1997, pp.123-4 here]