Joel Nessim

The scholar and his cat, Pangur Bán

(Translated from the Old Irish by Robin Flower.
Click here for the original with a literal translation.)

I and Pangur Bán my cat,
'Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.

Better far than praise of men
'Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill-will,
He too plies his