Retired solicitor completes 17-year translation of the Bible into Doric

Gordon M Hay has spent 17 years translating the Bible into Doric.

Gordon M Hay finished the New Testament in 2012 "when I had a moment spare" in between working, but the Old Testament, which he has just completed, is approximately three times the length.

However once he retired, Mr Hay was able to dedicate more time to completing the vast undertaking.

The final Old Testament translation is 758 pages long and has over 570,000 words, representing an impressive piece of scholarship.

Over the years the church elder and organist has also been commissioned by Aberdeen University to put some of Handel's Messiah into Doric.

Born into a Doric speaking farming family in Inverkeithny, Banffshire, Mr Hay explained that his marathon scheme began in 2006.

He said: "There used to be a biannual service taken in Doric in Buchan, but, Rev Charles Birnie, the minister who used to translate it sadly died.”

Mr Hay was then approached to help and the project went from there.

A church member since childhood, Mr Hay grew up worshipping at Inverkeithny Parish Church and has recently been awarded a long service award marking 30 years as an elder.

Speaking about why Doric sounds so distinctive, he explained that it has elements from other European languages including French, and German from the links in the North East to trade with the Hanseatic League.

"To some extent it's Anglo-Saxon still in use in the North East. Until about 150 years ago when proper roads were built the North East was very cut off from the rest of the country," he added.

Since 2010 Mr Hay has had his text revised by Rev Melvyn Wood, a Church of Scotland minister based in Glasgow.

A launch party on Friday, June 30 is free to attend and will take place at Longside Parish Church at 7.30pm featuring a fiddle player performing a tune written to honour Rev Charles Birnie, a soprano performing some of Mr Hay's translation of Handel's Messiah into Doric and an introduction from Rev Melvyn Wood.

To purchase a copy, please email Gordon Hay directly at [email protected]