How To Say The Lord's Prayer In Every Gaelic Language

The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Pater Noster, is one of the most central prayers in Christianity. Derived from Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4, the Lord’s Prayer is the method of prayer taught by Jesus to the Apostles. Within every liturgical tradition, the prayer is used as part of the Eucharist though some Protestant traditions include the doxology “For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever, Amen” at the end. For this reason, it is understood as a fundamental aspect of Christian worship that unites everyone regardless of denomination.

Due to its significance, the Lord’s Prayer has been translated into a vast array of languages, both liturgical and vernacular. This includes the Gaelic languages from Old Irish to its modern descendants. It is of my opinion that it is important to pray in the language of our ancestors, connecting us together – past, present, and future – praying together in unison. For this reason, I have provided a translation of the Lord’s Prayer into each of the Gaelic languages with the doxology bracketed to indicate it as optional.

Old Irish

A athair fil hi nimib,
Noemthar thainm.
Tost do flaithius.
Did do toil i talmain
amail ata in nim.
Tabair dun indiu ar sasad lathi.
Ocus log dun ar fiachu
amail logmaitne diar fhechemnaib.
Ocus nis lecea sind i n-amus n-dofulachtai.
Acht ron soer o cech ulc.
Amen ropfir.

Classical Gaelic

Ar Nathaír atá ar neamh, 
Náomthar hainm. 
Tigheadh do ríoghachd. 
Deúntar do thoil ar an ttalamh, 
mar do nithear ar neamh. 
Ar narán laéthamhail tabhair dhúinn a niu. 
Agus maith dhúinn ar bhfíacha, 
mar mhaithmídne dar bhféitheamhnuibh féin. 
Agus na léig sinn a ccathughadh, 
achd sáor inn ó olc: 
[Oir is leachd féin an ríoghachd, agus an chúmhachd, agus an ghloír, go siórruighe.] Amen.

Manx (1713 version)

Ayr Ain, t'ayns Niau;
Casherick dy rou dt'ennym;
Di jig dty Reereeaght;
Dt'aigney dy rou jeant er y Talloo myr ta ayns Niau;
Cur dooin nyn Arran jiu as gagh laa;
As leih dooin nyn Loghtyn, myr ta shin leih dauesyn ta janoo loghtyn ny noi shin;
As ny leeid shin ayns Miolagh;Agh livrey shin veih olk;
[Son liats y Reereeaght y Phooar as y Ghloyr, son dy bragh as dy bragh.]
Amen.

Modern Irish

Ár n-Athair, atá ar neamh:
go naofar d'ainm (alt. go naomhaíthear t'ainm).
Go dtaga(idh) do ríocht.
Go ndéantar do thoil ar an (d)talamh,
mar dhéantar ar neamh.
Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu,
agus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha (alt. ár gcionta),
mar mhaithimid dár bhféichiúna féin (alt. mar a mhaithimíd dóibh a chiontaíonn inár n-aghaidh).
Agus ná lig sinn i gcathú (alt. i gcathaíbh),
ach saor sinn ó(n) olc.
[Óir is leatsa an Ríocht agus an Chumhacht agus an Ghlóir, trí shaol na saol (alt. le saol na saol / go síoraí).]
Áiméan.

Scottish Gaelic

Ar n-Athair a tha air nèamh,
Gu naomhaichear d' ainm.
Thigeadh do rìoghachd.
Dèanar do thoil air an talamh,
mar a nithear air nèamh.
Tabhair dhuinn an-diugh ar n-aran làitheil.
Agus maith dhuinn ar fiachan,
amhail a mhaitheas sinne dar luchd-fiach.
Agus na leig ann am buaireadh sinn;
ach saor sinn o olc:
[oir is leatsa an rìoghachd, agus a' chumhachd, agus a' ghlòir, gu sìorraidh.]
Amen.