Cwympiad y Dail

Gwelwn oll y dail yn cwympo

(Cwympiad y Dail)
Gwelwn oll y dail yn cwympo
  Ac yn gwywyo'n llwyd eu gwedd:
Felly'r einioes sy'n dirwynu
  Dyn i bydru yn y bedd:
Ceisiwn hawl y'mhren y bywyd -
  Prên uwch adfyd, cnawdol chwyth:
Prên mewn gardd sydd hardd ei hurddas
  Prên a bery'n wyrddlas byth!

Chwi'r ymffrostus wyr dysgedig
  Darfodedig yw eich dydd;
Derfydd sôn am
    heniaith galed,
  Ym mysg pryfed - yn y pridd:
Dysgwch wers o ostyngeiddrwydd,
  Oddiwrth dyle, manwydd, dail;
Fel y tyfoch oll yn gymmwys,
  Ymharadwys lwys - ail.

Chwi Rïanod, llawn tirionwch,
  Deliwch, cedwch hyn mewn co',
Gwywa tegwch hardd blodeuog,
  Gruddiau gwridog yn y gro;
Chwithau henaint, mewn penwŷni,
  Dan galedi'n llesg neu'n glaf;
Gwelwch fel mae'r blodeu'n edwi,
  Yn yr Hydref, - gwedi'r Hâf!

Meibion balchder, llawn o drachwant,
  Sydd yn hoffi moliant mawr;
Gwelwch, gwelwch hyn mewn goleu,
  Awel angeu teifl chwi i lawr.
Chwithau gampwyr llawn gwasgwychder,
  Heinif gryfder, irder oes,
Diffrwyth fydd eich grymus freichiau,
  Dan ddoluriau, - angau loes!

Chwi berch'nogion tiroedd taerion,
  Gwasgwyr meinion werin mân,
Diles fydd eich holl feddiannau,
  Pan f'o delwau'r byd ar dân:
Chwi fasweddwyr, a gloddestwyr,
  Ffol orchestwyr,
      nerth eich oed,
Eich difyrwch a ddiflanna,
  Fel y cwympa dail y coed!

Gwir na ddichon da'r cybyddion,
  Ddofi gloesion angau glas:
Prênau noethion fydd y dynion
  Di-arwyddion duwiol ras:
Chwi'r anianol, dorf ragrithiol,
  Llwydd amserol i chwi sydd:
Deiliach diles, yw eich proffes;
  Dim ond hanes, rhodres rhydd.

Gwelwn oll y dail yn cwympo,
  Ac yn gwywy'n llwyd eu gwedd;
Felly'r einioes sy'n dirwynu,
  Dyn i bydru yn y bedd:
Ceisiwn hawl y'mhren y bywyd -
  Prên uwch adfyd, - cnawdol chwyth:
Prên mewn gardd sydd hardd ei hurddas,
  Prên a bery'n wyrddlas byth.
David Thomas (Dafydd Ddu o Eryri) 1759-1822
Corph y Gaingc (Casgliad Dafydd Ddu) 1810
(The Falling of the Leaves)
We all see the leaves falling
  All withering grey their appearance:
Thus the lifespan is winding up
  Of man to decay in the grave:
Let us seek the sun in the tree life -
  A tree above an adverse, fleshly blow:
A tree in a garden with beautiful dignity
  A tree which shall endure green forever!

Ye boastful, learnèd men,
  Faded is your day;
The mention of a hard ancient
    language dies away,
  Amongst worms - in the soil:
Learn ye a lesson of humility,
  From hill, bushes, leaves;
As ye all grew equally,
  Pleasantly fresh - similarly.

Ye parents, full of tenderness,
  Hold ye, keep ye this in memory,
The beautiful, flowering fairness of ruddy
  Cheeks will wither in the gravel;
Ye elders, in whiteheadedness,
  Under hardship feeble or ill;
See how the flowers are fading,
  In the Autumn, - after the Summer!

Sons of pride, full of lust,
  Who love great praise;
See, see ye this in light,
  The breeze of death will cast you down.
Ye champions full of bravado,
  Lively strength, the sap of life,
Fruitless shall be your strong arms,
  Under the agonies, - the throes of death!

Ye owners of the harsh lands
  Oppressors of small, unimportant folk,
Of no benefit will be all your possessions,
  When the world's idols are on fire:
Ye wanton ones, and gluttons,
  Foolish champions,
      the strength of your age,
Your delight shall disappear,
  As the leaves of the trees fall!

True that unable are the miser's goods,
  To tame the throes of utter death:
Bare trees shall be the men
  Without the signs of godly grace:
Ye natural ones, a hypocritical throng,
  You have temporal prosperity:
Worthless leaves, your profession is;
  Only a story, easy boasting.

We shall all see the leaves falling,
  And withering, their appearance faded;
Thus the lifespan is winding up,
  Man to decay in the grave:
Let us seek the right in the tree of life -
  A tree above adversity, - a fleshly blow:
A tree in a garden with beautiful dignity,
  A tree that shall endure green forever.
tr. 2017 Richard B Gillion

The middle column is a literal translation of the Welsh. A Welsh translation is identified by the abbreviation 'cyf.', an English translation by 'tr.'

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