All through the Night Translation

All through the night

Here are some versions of one of the most amazing poems I've ever seen. Of course, we all know it in the English-speaking world as a lullaby, but when you look at the real translation of the Welsh words, it takes on a whole new meaning. I've put together what I think is a more meaningful working translation, and I'd invite you to consider it, as well as my "prose" translation at the bottom of this page. I'll try to get music files of recordings of it up here, too, though you can download like 25 different versions of the song via your favorite music-exchange software. Anyway, it's definitely a candidate for "Cool Stuff"!

Original Welsh:

Literal translation:

J. Mark Sugars translation:

Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant
Ar hyd y nos.
Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant
Ar hyd y nos.
Golau arall yw tywyllwch,
I arddangos gwir brydferthwch,
Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch
Ar hyd y nos.

O mor siriol gwêna seren
Ar hyd y nos.
I oleuo'I chwaer ddaeraren
Ar hyd y nos.
Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd,
Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd,
Rho'wn ein golau gwan i'n gilydd,
Ar hyd y nos. All the stars' eyelids say,
All through the night,
"This is the way to the valley of glory,"
All through the night.
Any other light is darkness,
To exhibit true beauty,
The Heavenly family in peace,
All through the night.

Oh, how happily shines the star,
All through the night,
To light its earthly sister,
All through the night.
Old age is night when affliction comes,
But to beautify man in his twilight,
We'll put our weak light together
All through the night. Stars look down and tell their story,
All through the night.
"Here's the way to a land of glory,"
All through the night.
Other light seems merely darkness
When true beauty shines upon us,
Heaven's family tranquil o'er us,
All through the night.

See how smiles a star serenely
All through the night.
Beaming at the earth so keenly
All through the night.
"Night is old age, with grief coming,
But, adorning man and evening,
Pale light from us will be streaming
All through the night."

Pronunciation:

Popular translation:

My translation:

Hoch lamran tire sair the way dunt
Ar heed uh nos.
Dam are for theev row go goan yant
Ar heed uh nos.
Go lie are ach thlee-oo tuh weth lookh,
Ee arthe ong os gweer brud vairth ookh,
Tie leer nevoythe meh-oon ta well ookh
Ar heed uh nos.

Oh more cereal gwen ah sairen
Ar heed uh nos.
Ee-o lie oich wire thy are en
Ar heed uh nos.
Nos ee-oo hen eye'nt pawn thou cussed ithe,
On dee har thee dean aye hoo-eerthe eethe,
Row'n eye'n go lie gwan in gileethe,
Ar heed uh nos. Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee
All through the night;
Guardian angels God will lend thee,
All through the night.
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,
I my loving vigil keeping,
All through the night.

Angels watching ever round thee,
All through the night,
In thy slumbers close surround thee,
All through the night.
They will of all fears disarm thee,
No forebodings should alarm thee,
They will let no peril harm thee
All through the night. Stars shine down on earthly darkness,
All through the night;
Show the way to Heaven for us,
All through the night.
Daily blue skies drown the stars' light,
But we learn how dark's the daylight,
As we see the source of true light
All through the night.

Though our lives are ever starlit,
All through the night;
We can see or disregard it,
All through the night.
But when death becomes our nighttime,
Then we'll know at last, that this time,
Heaven's glow means peace for all time,
All through the night.

My "prose" translation:

Throughout history, the stars have always been there, shining down on everything we do on earth. Even though their light is dim, it's enough to serve as a reminder during the dark night that up there is a better place - a better way of doing things.

Daylight comes to the world regularly, and for a few hours, the overwhelming brilliance of the life-giving sun drowns out the stars' weak light, and makes us tend to forget they're even there.

But the sun is a local and transient phenomenon - an aberration that only serves to distract us from the real source of light in the universe. The soft glow of starlight, quietly punctuating the eternal darkness, is the true nature of the universe. We would do well never to forget that, even when the sunlight seems to dominate, it (like us) is local and transient - not at all representative of the true nature of reality.

The stars are happy to play this role, too. There is no glory for them individually, except in that they get to be the ones who serve as our constant reminder of where our focus should always remain. They don't mind if our thoughts stray, either - they'll still be there, patiently waiting on the coming of each night, each opportunity to light the way for us, if we only choose to look, and follow...

Because an even stronger reminder is coming for all of us. Our lives are like the daylight that we think is so important for the brief time we're living through it. But twilight, evening, and night come to each day, and to each life. Even though our stars have been covered by clouds, storms, and the false light of our daytime, and even though we've shunned them at every opportunity, they will still come out for us again when our sun sets, and night finally comes.

And then, as they always have, the stars will light the way for us in that soft, weak, but constant and patient way that has always defined their existence. Collectively, their weakness will be proved strong, true and victorious at last, and we'll know then once and for all that their light was the real light all along!

Original Welsh:	Literal translation:	J. Mark Sugars translation:
Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant Ar hyd y nos. Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant Ar hyd y nos. Golau arall yw tywyllwch, I arddangos gwir brydferthwch, Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch Ar hyd y nos. O mor siriol gwêna seren Ar hyd y nos. I oleuo'I chwaer ddaeraren Ar hyd y nos. Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd, Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd, Rho'wn ein golau gwan i'n gilydd, Ar hyd y nos.	All the stars' eyelids say, All through the night, "This is the way to the valley of glory," All through the night. Any other light is darkness, To exhibit true beauty, The Heavenly family in peace, All through the night. Oh, how happily shines the star, All through the night, To light its earthly sister, All through the night. Old age is night when affliction comes, But to beautify man in his twilight, We'll put our weak light together All through the night.	Stars look down and tell their story, All through the night. "Here's the way to a land of glory," All through the night. Other light seems merely darkness When true beauty shines upon us, Heaven's family tranquil o'er us, All through the night. See how smiles a star serenely All through the night. Beaming at the earth so keenly All through the night. "Night is old age, with grief coming, But, adorning man and evening, Pale light from us will be streaming All through the night."

Pronunciation:	Popular translation:	My translation:
Hoch lamran tire sair the way dunt Ar heed uh nos. Dam are for theev row go goan yant Ar heed uh nos. Go lie are ach thlee-oo tuh weth lookh, Ee arthe ong os gweer brud vairth ookh, Tie leer nevoythe meh-oon ta well ookh Ar heed uh nos. Oh more cereal gwen ah sairen Ar heed uh nos. Ee-o lie oich wire thy are en Ar heed uh nos. Nos ee-oo hen eye'nt pawn thou cussed ithe, On dee har thee dean aye hoo-eerthe eethe, Row'n eye'n go lie gwan in gileethe, Ar heed uh nos.	Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee All through the night; Guardian angels God will lend thee, All through the night. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, Hill and vale in slumber steeping, I my loving vigil keeping, All through the night. Angels watching ever round thee, All through the night, In thy slumbers close surround thee, All through the night. They will of all fears disarm thee, No forebodings should alarm thee, They will let no peril harm thee All through the night.	Stars shine down on earthly darkness, All through the night; Show the way to Heaven for us, All through the night. Daily blue skies drown the stars' light, But we learn how dark's the daylight, As we see the source of true light All through the night. Though our lives are ever starlit, All through the night; We can see or disregard it, All through the night. But when death becomes our nighttime, Then we'll know at last, that this time, Heaven's glow means peace for all time, All through the night.