Religion
Eve's Lament
Translated by Kuno Meyer (1911) · From Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry (1911): Religious Poetry
I am Eve, great Adam's wife,
'Tis I that outraged Jesus of old;
'Tis I that robbed my children of Heaven,
By rights 'tis I that should have gone upon the cross.
I had a kingly house to please me,
Grievous the evil choice that disgraced me,
Grievous the wicked advice that withered me!
Alas! my hand is not pure.
'Tis I that plucked the apple,
Which went across my gullet:
So long as they endure in the light of day,
So long women will not cease from folly.
There would be no ice in any place,
There would be no glistening windy winter,
There would be no hell, there would be no sorrow,
There would be no fear, if it were not for me.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Old Irish). “Eve's Lament.” Translated by Kuno Meyer. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/12/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Old Irish). “Eve's Lament.” Translated by Kuno Meyer. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/12/.
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