Social Commentaries

Quatrains: Hospitality

by Anonymous (Old Irish) c. 8th–12th century

Translated by Alfred Perceval Graves (1917) · From A Celtic Psaltery (1917)

Social Commentaries

Whether my house is dark or bright,
I close it not on any wight,
Lest Thou, hereafter, King of Stars,
Against me close Thy Heavenly bars.

If from a guest who shares thy board
Thy dearest dainty thou shalt hoard,
'Tis not that guest, O never doubt it,
But Mary's Son shall do without it.

✦ ✦ ✦

Early Irish quatrain.

MLA

Anonymous (Old Irish). “Quatrains: Hospitality.” Translated by Alfred Perceval Graves. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/123/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Old Irish). “Quatrains: Hospitality.” Translated by Alfred Perceval Graves. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-irish/123/.

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