Gordon Hay
Gordon McKenzie Hay MBE (born 1952 or 1953) is a Scottish author, translator and former solicitor who has translated a range of works into the Doric dialect of the Scots language. He is best known for writing the first complete translation of the Bible into Scots.
Early life
[edit]Gordon McKenzie Hay[1] was born in 1952 or 1953 and raised in Inverkeithny[2] in the historic county of Banffshire.[3] He attended Inverkeithny Parish Church which was then part of the Church of Scotland[4] and his passion for Doric was inspired by Charles Murray's poem "It wisna his Wyte", which he performed at a school concert.[5]
Career
[edit]Hay was a solicitor when he started working on a Doric translation of the New Testament in 2006, finishing and publishing it in 2012.[6] He then began working on a translation of the Old Testament, retiring as a solicitor during this time and publishing it in 2023. While parts of the Bible had previously been translated into Scots, Hay's translation is the first to cover it completely.[7] He was invited by Jackie Dunbar, the MSP for Aberdeen Donside, to appear at the Scottish Parliament's Time for Reflection to read parts of the translation.[8][9]
In 2021, Hay published a compilation of nursery rhymes titled Doric Nursery Rhymes for Loons & Quines[10] which subsequently won the 2022 Bairns' Beuk o the Year from the Scots Language Awards.[11] Other works he has translated include Peter and the Wolf[12] and parts of The Pickwick Papers[13] and George Frederic Handel's Messiah.[14]
Hay was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire as part of the 2025 New Year Honours.[15][16]
Personal life
[edit]Hay has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. He is an elder of the Church of Scotland,[17] a church organist[14] and the choirmaster at Longside Parish Church.[18]
Bibliography
[edit]- The Doric New Testament (2012)
- Doric Nursery Rhymes for Loons & Quines (2021)
- The Doric Aul Testament (2023)
References
[edit]- ↑ Amy Watson (30 December 2024). "All the Scots honoured in the King's New Year Honours list". The Scotsman. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Ken Banks (21 June 2023). "Lawyer translates Bible into Doric over 17 years". BBC News. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Lucinda Cameron; Ruaraidh Britton (30 December 2024). "Aberdeenshire kirk elder who translated whole Bible into Doric honoured with MBE". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ↑ David Porter (8 October 2022). "Harvest Festival celebration at Inverkeithny". Grampian Online. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Neil Drysdale; Denny Andonova (21 June 2023). "Let there be fit like: Retired Peterhead solicitor translates the Bible into Doric in 17-year project". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ "Bible's New Testament translated into Doric by Gordon Hay". BBC News. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ David Porter (21 June 2023). "Translation of the Aul and New Testaments into Doric is completed". Grampian Online. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ↑ "Meeting of the Parliament". Scottish Parliament. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ Jon Hebditch (3 February 2024). "Aberdeen man who spent 17 years translating Bible into Doric addresses Scottish Parliament". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ Kyle Ritchie (16 November 2021). "Aberdeenshire author releases new book featuring nursery rhymes in Doric". Grampian Online. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ David Porter (7 October 2022). "Scottish Language Awards Bairns' Beuk o the Year". Grampian Online. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ↑ Kyle Ritchie (13 October 2023). "SWI group welcomes north-east and Doric expert". Grampian Online. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ↑ "Kirk elder who translated whole Bible into Doric honoured". Grampian Online. 30 December 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- 1 2 Dawn Renton (28 June 2023). "Retired solicitor completes 17-year translation of the Bible into Doric". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ↑ Neil Drysdale (30 December 2024). "Gordon Hay from Peterhead who translated Bible into Doric made MBE". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Nick Forbes; Ruaraidh Britton (1 July 2025). "Aberdeenshire solicitor 'absolutely delighted' after receiving MBE for translating Bible into Doric". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Lucinda Cameron; Ruaraidh Britton (30 December 2024). "Aberdeenshire kirk elder who translated whole Bible into Doric honoured with MBE". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ↑ Lewis McBlane (30 December 2024). "Gordon Highlanders stalwart among Huntly area's three MBEs on New Year's Honours List". Grampian Online. Retrieved 2 October 2025.