History & Politics
The Cynghogion of Elaeth (Black Book of Caermarthen XX)
Translated by D. Silvan Evans (1868) · From Black Book of Caermarthen
Now gone are my ardour and liveliness;
If I have erred, I truly acknowledge it;
May the Lord not inflict upon me severe pain!
May not the Lord inflict severe pain
On man for his anger and passion.
A reprobate of Heaven is reprobate of earth.
Let sinful mortal believe in God,
And wake at midnight;
Let him who offends Christ sleep not.
Let not a son of man sleep for the sake of the passion
Of the Son of God, but wake up at the early dawn;
And he will obtain heaven and forgiveness.
Pardon will he obtain, who will call upon
God, and despise Him not,
And heaven the night he dies.
If a son of man dies without being reconciled
To God ' for the sins which he has committed,
It is not well that a soul entered his flesh.
It is not common for the mischievous to employ himself in converse
With God, against the day of affliction,
The bold thinks that he shall not die.
Now gone--
Codex Note
Skene no. LXXIV (group Q: Poems Attributed to Other Early Bards).
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Old Welsh). “The Cynghogion of Elaeth (Black Book of Caermarthen XX).” Translated by D. Silvan Evans. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-welsh/26/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Old Welsh). “The Cynghogion of Elaeth (Black Book of Caermarthen XX).” Translated by D. Silvan Evans. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-welsh/26/.
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