Laoidhean o na Sgriobtaran Naomha 1987

Mu Dheidhinn an Teacsa

Aig àm an Ath-Leasachaidh, 's às a dhèidh, b' iad na Sgriobtaran ann am meadrachd na prìomh òrain molaidh a bha aig an Eaglais ann an Alba. An toiseach bha iad seo air an cuingealachadh ri na Sailm. Ach mar a chaidh an ùine seachad bha tuilleadh is tuilleadh chuibhreannan de na Sgriobtaran, a bharrachd air na Sailm, rim faighinn ann am meadrachd. Cho tràth ri 1647, bha an t-Àrd-Sheanadh a' meòrachadh air cead a thoirt dhan leithid sin a rannan a bhith air an cleachdadh. Air sgàth ‘s nach robh an t-Àrd-Sheanadh a’ saoilsinn gur e sàr-dheasachaidhean a bh’ anns an fheadhainn a bha rim faighinn, cha deach cead a thoirt dhan eaglais an cleachdadh aig an àm sin. A dh’aindeoin sin, bha daoine a’ cleachdadh na h-òrain sgriobtarail seo. Bha daoine gam faighinn feumail airson briathran na Sgriobtaran a bhith aca air an teanga. Mar sin, thàinig iad gu bhith air am fighe a-steach a dh'àrainneachd spioradail na h-eaglaise Clèireach ann an Alba, agus ann an cridheachan nan daoine.

Ann an 1742 chuir an t-Àrd-Sheanadh air dòigh comataidh airson ‘Òrain Spioradail’ ullachadh: eadar-theangachaidhean ann am meadrachd de chuibhreannan de na Sgriobtaran ann am Beurla. Chaidh a' chiad chruinneachadh de 45 laoidh sgriobtarail ann am meadrachd a’ chrìochnachadh ann an 1745.

Thar grunn bhliadhnachan an dèidh sin chaidh na laoidhean Beurla an ath-sgrùdadh agus chaidh cuir riutha. Ann an 1781 dh’fhoillsich an t-Àrd-Sheanadh cruinneachadh suidhichte de 67 laoidh, airson an cleachdadh car ùine. Bha cuideachd còig òran spioradail, 'hymn' anns a' Bheurla, air an ceangal ri deireadh a' chruinneachaidh. Tha ceist ann an robh iad sin air ùghdarrachadh fhaighinn on Àrd-Sheanadh.

Lean leasachadh na laoidhean (òrain sgriobtarail) Gàidhlig gu luath às dèidh an fheadhainn Bheurla. Ann an 1751 chrìochnaich an t-Urr Alasdair MacPhàrlain (a bha aig an àm sin na mhinistear ann an Cill an Inbhir agus Cill Mheallaird, deas air an Òban) eadar-theangachadh Gàidhlig de chruinneachdh 1745. Thàinig iad seo am bàrr còmhla ri deasachadh MhicPhàrlain de na Sailm, a rinn e airson Seanadh Earra-Ghàidheal.

Às dèidh dhan chruinneachadh dheireannach Bheurla a bhith air fhoillseachadh ann an 1781, dh’iarr Seanadh Earra-Ghàidheal air an Dr. Urr. Iain Mac a' Ghobhainn iad sin eadar-theangachadh, còmhla ri ath-dheasachadh de na Sailm. Bha Mac a’ Ghobhainn na mhinistear ann an Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain aig an àm. Rinn esan eadar-theangachadh ùr de na 67 laoidhean agus na 5 òrain spioradail. Chrìochnaich e seo ann an 1783 agus chaidh iad an clò-bhualadh ann an 1787.

Ann an 1826 dh'iarr an t-Àrd-Sheanadh gun deidheadh ath-dheasachadh ùr a dhèanamh de na Sailm, laoidhean is òrain spioradail Gàidhlig. Bha seo airson 's gum biodh iad air an clò-bhualadh às ùr ann am Bìoball le Sailm, laoidhean is dàin spioradail. Thug an t-Àrd-Sheanadh ùghdarras dhan deasachadh seo a chleachdadh anns na h-eaglaisean Gàidhlig. San dòigh seo bha ùghdarras na bu shoilleire ann on Àrd-Sheanadh airson na laoidhean Gàidhlig a chleachdadh na bha ann airson an fheadhainn Bheurla.

Tha an deasachadh didsiotach seo de na laoidhean, leis an litreachadh air ùrachadh, air a stèidheachadh air ath-dheasachadh de dheasachadh 1826 a chaidh a chlò-bhualadh ann an 1987. Chaidh a chur air dòigh le Comann Bhìoball na h-Alba.

About the Text

During and subsequent to the Reformation, metrical or versified paraphrases of Scripture formed the main body of the sung praise of the Scottish Church. Initially these paraphrases were largely confined to the Psalms. However, as time passed, portions from other parts of Scripture came increasingly into circulation. These paraphrases were seriously considered for authorised church use as early as 1647. They were not authorised at that time, because the paraphrases which were available were not considered to be of a sufficiently high standard. As these ‘Scriptural Songs’, as they were commonly known at the time, came more and more into circulation, they served as a helpful means of memorisation of passages of Scripture. These paraphrases were thus woven into the spiritual fabric of the church, embedded in the hearts and minds of the people.

In 1742 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland appointed a committee to prepare ‘Sacred Songs’: metrical paraphrases of Scripture portions. This first collection of 45 English metrical paraphrases was completed in 1745.

These were revised and augmented during the following few decades. In 1781 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland granted permission for a finalised collection of 67 paraphrases to be published and used. At that time 5 hymns were also appended to the paraphrases. There is some dubiety as to whether these were officially sanctioned.

The story of how the Gaelic metrical paraphrases came into being, follows closely the development of the English paraphrases in the Church of Scotland.

The Gaelic paraphrases (referred to in Gaelic as laoidhean 'hymns') followed hot on the heels of the development of the English paraphrases. In 1751 Rev. Alexander MacFarlane of Kilninver and Kilmelfort completed a Gaelic translation of the 1745 English metrical paraphrases. This translation of the paraphrases accompanied MacFarlane's edition of the Gaelic metrical Psalms, which he undertook on behalf of the Synod of Argyll.

As we noted, the finalised revision of the English paraphrases was completed in 1781. Almost immediately, Rev. Dr. John Smith of Campbeltown undertook an entirely new Gaelic translation of the finalised 67 paraphrases. (He also translated the 5 hymns, which were referred to as Dàin Spioradail 'Spiritual Songs' in Gaelic). He completed his translation in 1783; the paraphrases (and hymns) were published in 1787 together with Smith’s revision of the Gaelic Psalter. He undertook this work at the behest of the Synod of Argyll of which Dr. Smith was a member.

In 1826, the General Assembly instructed that Smith’s edition be lightly revised. This was in order that it would be included in a printing of the Gaelic Bible with Psalms, Paraphrases and Hymns. That edition of the Gaelic Bible, with its appended praise volumes, was then authorised by the General Assembly for use in the Gaelic churches. This gave the Gaelic paraphrases clearer sanction for use in the churches than the English versions enjoyed.

This digital version of the paraphrases, with updated orthography, is based on a light revision of the 1826 Gaelic paraphrases, published in 1987. It has been prepared for digital publication by the Scottish Bible Society.