Messe ocus Pangur bán
Cechtar nathar fria saindán;
Bíth a menma-sam fri seilgg
Mu menma céin im saincheirdd

Pangur Bán and I at work
[... cat and clerk?]
His whole instinct is to hunt
Mine to free the meaning pinned

[More than loud, a claim I love][?]
Books, thoughts, silence my alcove
Happy for me, Pangur Bán
[child-plays][?] 'round a mouse's den

Next thing an unwary mouse
Bares his flank; Pangur pounces
Next thing lines that held and held
Meaning back begin to yield

All the while, his round bright eye
Fixes on the world, while I
Focus my less piercing gaze
On the challenge of the page

So it goes, to each his own:
No vying, no vexation
Taking pleasure, taking pains;
Kindred spirits, veterans
Day and night, soft purr, soft pad
Pangur Bán has learnt his trade
Day and night, my own hard work
Solves the cruxes [?], makes a mark

Caraim-se fos, ferr cach clú
Oc mu lebrán léir ingnu;
Ní foirmtech frimm Pangur bán
Caraid cesin a maccdán