Amr a'bhais

Amr a'bhais (Romic for "Death's Song") is the official national anthem of the nation of Rom in the Seafaring Confederation.

It is a Romic rendition of the Gàidhlig folk song.

History
The song was written in 1946 by Grèighim NicNùird as the Romic rendition of the Gàidhlig folk song An Eala Bhàn, written by during the  in the First World War. It soon gained widespread popularity and was declared Rom's official national anthem by an Act of Parliament in 1963.

Romic
Tha’n eòlannan i’n mar dàing Siòll an sùgan ageann o’bpròinn L’an gheileag abh’irich bhàinn Osc’an beantannan ’s cheò An beantannan thein i’n eògeig Ag tha’n shbpàirr dùg o’lùg Cairgan ’s clachan ag’an gcòis Tha t-i’n sàimcheorr o’seàll

Th’ghleannan i’n sàimcheorr fa’n grian Tha’n beàlleannan gu’n an bheòcht Tha’n sluaighan a’mi seach fhàr an-seò Bòg a’sinn o’tàmh Tha’n bh’eòlannan nu màd àite Àite fàllad osc’an làth An gòir a’pàistean n’an-seò Tha’n gùlleach a’geich òn

Nuar gaillean an dtaighann o’shgriòs Ch’tha duoinne seò t-och fhàc Ch’tha duoinne gu churaim a’n millachan Bàlchan, iònan ’s gàlbhan Th’thaighann o’thuilleach ghu’n ùsgeach ’S ch’tha duoinne seò t-och bhràth An abhòinnan abh easgràcha geò Ach ch’tha duoinne t-och sgùr à’

Tha’n eòlannan gràdh tu’bhaig a’mi Ach ‘nìs ath leat a’bhais Nu chòrr l’an òigheairrean Nò tùnachan ag ruìgean a’te Nu chòrr cruinneachd ag’an sgòirran Nò bhàtan i’n bheàlleain còlla Ruìgean fàllad ’s spàirr òn Sgòthan bàinn ’s liath o’seàich

Tha’m an àbhshthean le chaorran Gu t-aineolais tha t-o’rioch I’n simliran th’fhaolgean gu nìdhan Sgliòrreachan a’te t-och ghu churaim M’fhàc agàbh agus och gh’bhròn Nuar th’bha t-ag gciònn fhàr Òth sheasgeach ’s fàsgeaill Ag’an feòirre liath ’s gròisg

Ach uairsich m’fhàc Minais na Mara ’S mi gàirr ag’an àillich a’bh M’fhalbh bhàta t-a’mi Air’an tirn tha gu bheòcht Mi cùinneach an beàlleannan fàllad An àbhshthean ag’an eòlannan Ge-a’bh as tha thràth ghu bhàis Sluaighan a’mi fàthast gu bheòcht

English translation
The islands stand strong in the sea While the waves pound against them With the moon arisen pale Above the mountains and mist The mountains of fire in the night Set the black sky alight The rocks and stones at the coast Are silently looking on

The glens lie silent underneath the sun The villages are without life My people are gone from this place Few of us remain The islands aren’t what they were They’re empty during the day The laughter of children has disappeared It’s only the crying of the wind

When a storm destroys the homes There’s nobody there to see Nobody cares about the roofs The walls, the rooms and hearths Houses are flooded by the rain And nobody even knows The rivulets grow into torrents But nobody’s there to stop them

The islands are my truest love But now they slowly die No more shepherds Or farmers on their fields No more wheat on the hills Or boats in the village port (Just) empty fields and sky White and grey clouds passing by

Sheep amongst the ruins Graze in ignorance Seagulls nestle in the chimneys Tending to their young I look at it and sigh in grief As it lies in the far distance So barren and desolate At the grim and grey horizon

But then I see Minais na Mara And smile at its beauty I get off my boat Onto the lively land I remember the empty villages The ruins on the islands Though much of it is already dead My people still live on