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Wales and the French Revolution Series
(Diaries)

Rights of man (selection)

by Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg; 1747–1829)

Location: Welsh Poetry of the French Revolution 1789–1805, rhif / no. 18

SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Dyrcha dy lais i Iôn,
A'th gerdd yn felus dôn,
Ac wrthi glïn;
Bid ban dy lafar gref, 4
Fal sön taranau'r nef,
Nes deffro'r byd â'th lef,
Cân freiniau dyn.

Rhyddid y sydd yn awr 8
Fal llew rhuadgar mawr:
Pob tir a'i clyw:
A'r gwir sydd ar ei daith,
Dros yr holl ddaear faith, 12
Yn seinio peraidd iaith
I ddynolryw.

Pwyll a chyfiawnder sydd
Yn gweled gwawr eu dydd 16
Yn torri'n hardd;
Ffoi mae'r cymylau'n wir
Mae'r nos yn gado'n tir,
O'r dwyrain cyn bo hir 20
Haul haf a dardd.

Gorthrymwyr yr holl fyd
Sy'n curo'u gliniau 'nghyd:
Mawr yw eu crïn. 24
Fel angau'n brathu'r ais,
I wisgwyr coron trais
Yw clywed hanner llais
Am freiniau dyn. 28

...

Ond dydd sy'n agosáu,
Dydd hyfryd i'n rhyddhau
O'n poen a'n braw; 52
Dydd megis ffwrn o dân
A ddifa'r drwg yn lân,
Dyrchafwn bawb y gân,
Y mae gerllaw. 56

...

Dros holl deyrnasoedd Cred
Mae cyffro mawr ar led 100
Fel daear grïn,
Gan lorio'r hil ddi-hedd,
A'u rhoddi'n fwyd i'r cledd,
Am gladdu fal mewn bedd 104
Holl freiniau dyn.

...

O! pam, frenhinoedd byd,
Ymelwch cwyn cyd
Mewn poethder gwïn?
Clywch orfoleddus gainc! 116
Mae'r gwledydd oll fal Ffrainc
Yn rhoddi'r orsedd fainc
I freiniau dyn.

Gorfoledd! Cwyn dy lais! 120
Cwymp holl deyrnasoedd trais!
Maent ar eu crïn.
Cawn deyrnas hardd ei gwedd,
Dan farn Tywysog Hedd, 124
Yn honno cwyn o'r bedd
Holl freiniau dyn.

TRANSLATION
Lift your voice to the Lord
and sing in a sweet tune,
and remain true to it;
may your strong voice be loud 4
like the sound of heavenly thunder,
until you rouse the world with your cry,
sing the rights of man.

Liberty is now 8
like a great roaring lion:
every land hears it,
and the truth is on its journey
over the entire expanse of the world, 12
proclaiming sweet words
to mankind.

Reason and justice
now see the dawn of their day 16
breaking beautifully;
indeed, the clouds flee,
night leaves our land,
before long, the summer sun will emerge 20
from the east.

The knees of the oppressors of the whole world
knock together:
great is their quaking. 24
To those who wear the crown of oppression,
it is like death, biting the rib
to hear half a tiding
about the rights of man. 28

...

But a day is approaching,
a lovely day to liberate us
from our pain and fear; 52
a day like a furnace of fire
which will totally consume evil,
we will all raise the song:
the day is nigh. 56

...

Throughout all kingdoms of Christendom
a great excitement is spreading 100
like an earthquake,
flooring the peaceless race,
and putting them as fodder to the sword,
for burying, as if in a grave, 104
all the rights of man.

...

Oh! why, kings of earth,
are you in the heat of passion
so concerned with grief?
Hear the joyful song! 116
All the countries are like France
giving the throne
to the rights of man.

Joy, lift your voice! 120
Fell all the kingdoms of oppression!
They are shaking.
We will have a beautiful kingdom
under the judgement of the Prince of Peace, 124
and in that kingdom, from the grave will arise
all the rights of man.

.
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