Mass readings in Scots: Third Sunday of Lent (Year C)

First reading
Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15

Nou Moses wis leukin efter the hirsel o Jethro, his guidfaither, the priest o Midian: an he taen the hirsel tae the back o the wilderness an come tae Horeb, the knowe o God. An the angel o the Laird wis seen by him in a flame o fire comin oot a buss: an he seen that the tree wis alowe, but it wisna brunt up. An Moses said, A will gang an see this wunnerfu thing, whit for the buss isna brunt up. An whan the Laird seen him turnin tae ae side for tae see, God said his name oot the tree, greetin, Moses, Moses. An he said, Here A am. An he said, Dinna come nearhaund: tak aff yer shuin frae yer feet, for the steid whaur ye ar is haly. An he said, A a the God o yer faithers, the God o Aubraham, the God o Isaac, an the God o Jaucob. An Moses held his face happit for fear o leukin on God.

An God said, Truelins, A hae seen the dule o ma fowk in Egypt, an thair cry acause o thair ill-kyndit maisters haes come tae ma lugs; for A ken thair sorraes; an A hae come doun for tae tak thaim oot the haunds o the Egyptians, airtin thaim oot that laund intae a guid laund an braid, intae a laund fleetin wi milk an hinny.

An Moses said tae God, Whan A come tae the bairns o Israel an say tae thaim, The God o yer faithers haes sent me tae ye: an thay say tae me, Whit's his name? Whit am A tae say tae thaim? An God said tae him, A AM WHIT A AM: an he said, Say tae the bairns o Israel, A AM haes sent me tae ye. An God gaen on tae say tae Moses, Say tae the bairns o Israel, The Laird, the God o yer faithers, the God o Aubraham, o Isaac, an o Jaucob, haes sent me tae ye: this is ma name for aye, an this is ma sign tae aw generations.

[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.]


Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 102; 1-4, 6-8, 11

Ruise the Laird, O ma saul;
lat awthing in me ruise his haly name.
Ruise the Laird, O ma saul;
latna aw his sainins gang frae yer myndin.

He forgies aw yer sins;
he taks awa aw yer diseases;
He hauds back yer life frae ruinage,
crounin ye wi mercy an grace.

The Laird deems in richtousness
for thaim in tribble.
He gien knawledge o his wey tae Moses
an made his acts clear tae the bairns o Israel.

The Laird is couthie an fou o peety,
no swith made wraith, but aye ready tae shaw mercy.
For, as the hieven is heich ower the yird,
that great is his mercy tae his wirshippers.

[From Psalm 103, 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 10: 1-6, 10-12

Brethir, I wil nocht, that ye vnknaw, that al oure fadris ware vndir cloud, and all passit the see; and all war baptizit in Moyses, in a cloude and in the see; and al ete the sammin spirituale mete, and al drank the sammin spirituale drink; thai drank of the spirituale staan following thame; and the staan was Crist. Bot nocht in full mony of thame it was wele pleisand to God; forquhy thai war castin doun in desert.

Bot thire thingis are done in figure of vs, that we be nocht couataris of euile thingis, as thai couatit. Nouthir murmure ye, as sum of thame murmurit, and thai perisit of a destroyare.

And al thir thingis fell to thame in figure; bot thai ar writtin to oure amending, into the quhilkis the endis of the warldis ar cummin. Tharfore he that gessis him, that he standis, se that he fall nocht.

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


Gospel reading
Luke 13: 1-9

At that parteeclar time, Jesus wus toul that Pilate haed kïllt some fowk frae Galilee while the' wur offerin sercyfices ïn tha Hoose o tha Loard. He saed tae thaim, "Dae ye jalouse tha yins that suffert laik thïs haed daen mair wrang ner aa ither Galileeans? Na, A tell ye thïs, ïf yis dïnnae repent, tha hale lock o yis'll perish as weel. Or whut aboot tha echteen that deed ïn Siloam whaniver tha tooer cum doon on tap o thaim? Dae ye jalouse that thair wrangdaeins wus waur ner aa tha ither yins in Jerusalem? Na, A tell ye thïs, ïf yis dïnnae repent, tha hale lock o ye wull perish for forbye.

Then Jesus toul thaim a parable. "Thair wus thïs man haed a fïg tree plantit ïn hïs vineyaird. Yin day, he cum tae ït tae see ïf thair wus onie fruit on ït, but he fun nane. Sae he saed tae tha gairdner, 'Luk here, thïs thrie yeir A hae cum lukkin fer fïgs on thïs tree, an thair's nane on ït! Cut ït doon! It's a waste o guid grun.' Tha gairdner saed, 'Lea ït alane, sïr, gie ït anither yeir. A'll dïg roon ït an gie ït a guid dressin o dung. If thair's onie fïgs on ït nixt yeir, weel an guid, an ïf no, we'll cut ït doon fer ye.' "

[From Tha Fower Gospels  (2016) (Ulster-Scots), Ullans Press, ISBN: 978-1-905281-25-1, Amazon UK here,  Amazon US here.) ]