Tribanau
Serjeant Parry, the eminent barrister) says: "The following translations
will serve to give the English reader a faint, though perhaps, but a
faint idea of the Welsh _Tribanau_, which are most of them, like these,
remarkable for their quaintness, as well as for the epigrammatic point in
which they terminate."]
No cheat is it to cheat the cheater,
No treason to betray the traitor,
Nor is it theft, I'm not deceiving,
To thieve from him who lives by thieving.
* * * * *
Three things there are that ne'er stand still;
A pig upon a high-topt hill,
A snail the naked stones among,
And Tom the Miller's rattling tongue.
* * * * *
Three things 'tis difficult to scan;
The day, an aged oak, and man:
The day is long, the oak is hollow,
And man--he is a two fac'd fellow.
More
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The Mountain Galloway
My tried and trusty mountain steed, Of Aberteivi's hardy breed, Elate of spirit, low of flesh, That sham'st thy kind of vallies fresh; And three score miles and twelve a day Hast sped, my gallant galloway. Like a sea-boat, firm and tight, ... The Poor Man's Grave
'Neath the yew tree's gloomy branches, Rears a mound its verdant head, As if to receive the riches Which the dew of heaven doth spread; Many a foot doth inconsiderate Tread upon the humble pile, And doth crush the turf so ornate:-- ... The Praise And Commendation Of A Good Woman
As a wise child excells the sceptr'd fool Who of conceit and selfishness is full-- As a good name exceeds the best perfume, And richest balms that from the Indies come. A virtuous, cheerful, and obliging wife Is better far than all the pomp of... The Rose Of Llan Meilen
Sweet Rose of Llan Meilen! you bid me forget That ever in moments of pleasure we met; You bid me remember no longer a name The muse hath already companioned with fame; And future ap Gwilyms, fresh wreaths who compose, Shall twine with th... The Rose Of The Glen
Although I've no money or treasure to give, No palace or cottage wherein I may live, Altho' I can't boast of high blood or degree, Than all these my sweet Rose is dearer to me. The lambs on the mountain are frisky and gay, The birds in the for... The Shipwreck
a Welsh Congregationalist Minister, and an eminent poet. His Ode on the wreck of the ship Rothsay Castle, off Anglesea, is a very graphic and forcible Poem, and won the chief prize at an Eisteddfod held at Beaumaris in 1839, which was honoured... The Sick Man's Dream
Dans le solitaire bourgade, Revant a ses maux tristement, Languissait un pauvre malade, D'un long mal qui va consumant.--MILLEVOYE. It was a dream, a pleasant dream, that o'er my spirit came, When faint beneath the lime-trees' shad... The Song Of The Fisherman's Wife
Restless wave! be still and quiet, Do not heed the wind and freshet, Nature wide is now fast sleeping, Why art thou so live and stirring? All commotion now is ending, Why not thou thy constant rolling? Rest thou sea! upon thy bosom Is on... The Swan
Thou swan, upon the waters bright, In lime-hued vest, like abbot white! Bird of the spray, to whom is giv'n The raiment of the men of heav'n; Bird of broad hand, in youth's proud age, Syvaddon was thy heritage! Two gifts in thee, fair bird, uni... The Vengeance Of Owain {96}
Gruffydd ab Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd, or North Wales, and he succeeded his father on his death in 1137. Father and son were illustrious warriors and patriotic rulers. They were also celebrated for their munificent protection of the Welsh Bards.... The Withered Leaf
Dry the leaf above the stubble, Soon 'twill fall into the bramble, But the mind receives a lesson From the leaf when it has fallen. Once it flourished in deep verdure, Bright its aspect in the arbour, Beside myriad of companions, Once it... The World And The Sea: A Comparison
Like the world and its dread changes Is the ocean when it rages, Sometimes full and sometimes shallow, Sometimes green and sometimes yellow. Salt the sea to all who drink it, Bitter is the world in spirit, Deep the sea to all who fathom, Dee... To May
the following and several other poems in this collection. He was a native of Cardiganshire, and, following the example of his countrymen, he assumed the bardic name of _Daniel Ddu_. He was born in 1792, and died in 1846. His compositions were ... To The Daisy
Oh, flower meek and modest That blooms of all the soonest, Some great delight possesses me When thy soft crystal bud I see. Thou art the first of the year To break the bonds of winter, And for thy gallant enterprise I'll welcome thee and sin... To The Lark
"Sentinel of the morning light! Reveller of the spring! How sweetly, nobly wild thy flight, Thy boundless journeying: Far from thy brethren of the woods, alone A hermit chorister before God's throne! "Oh! wilt thou clim... To The Nightingale
river of that name was born at Mold, in Flintshire, in the year 1797, and died in 1840, in the parish of Manordeivi, Pembrokeshire, of which he was Rector. He participated much in the Eisteddfodau of that period, and his poems gained many of the... To The Spring
Oh, come gentle spring, and visit the plain, Far scatter the frost from our border, All nature cries loud for the sunshine and rain, For the howl of the winter is over. Approach gentle spring, and show the white snow Thou cans't melt ... Translated By The Rev William Evans
God doth withhold no good from those Who meekly fear him here below; On them he grace and fame bestows, Nor loss, nor cross they e'er shall know. Cast thou on him thy troubles all, And he will thee with plenty feed; He will not let the... Translations From Miscellaneous Welsh Hymns
Had I but the wings of a dove, To regions afar I'd repair, To Nebo's high summit would rove, And look on a country more fair; My eyes gazing over the flood, I'd spend the remainder of life Beholding the Saviour so good, Who for sin... Tribanau
Serjeant Parry, the eminent barrister) says: "The following translations will serve to give the English reader a faint, though perhaps, but a faint idea of the Welsh _Tribanau_, which are most of them, like these, remarkable for their quaintness,... Twenty Third Psalm
My shepherd is the Lord above, Who ne'er will suffer me to rove; In Him I'll trust, he is so good, He'll never let me want for food. To pastures green and flow'ry meads, His happy flock he gently leads, Where water in abundance flows, And wh... Under The Orchard Tree
Under the deep-laden boughs of the orchard Walks a maid that is fairer than all its rich fruit, And little I doubt if I stood beneath them, To which of the objects I'd offer my suit. 'Twas little I thought when I was a stripling While g... Walter Sele
O'er Walter's bed no foot shall tread, Nor step unhallow'd roam; For here the grave hath found a grave, The wanderer a home. This little mound encircles round A heart that once could feel; For none possess'd a warmer heart Than gal... Woman
Gentle Woman! thou most perfect Work of the Divine Architect; Pearl and beauty of creation, Rose of earth by all confession. Myriad times thy smiles are sweeter Than the morning sun doth scatter, All the loveliness of Nature Into thee al...