Praise of Llywelyn ap Gwilym
The grammar book of Dyfed, it summons
To wine-houses in Llywelyn's region;
A haven, let all men's greetings go,
4 A warm court-place for many, to Emlyn.
A lake for a park in Emlyn, a canal as far as Teifi,
and taverns in all places,
let him deter shame, [and] let him kill his foe,
8 where a hammer blow may be, a pathway of honour.
A pathway of honour, a great bolt battering the mighty, a clear
provocation to England and Scotland,
wherever he comes the whole world draws near,
12 a giving hand, and the name of Llywelyn.
Llywelyn wills for me might and vigour,
the joyful son of Gwilym, a splendid [and] powerful king,
less angry words to anger us than a serf,
16 he exercised dominion, and gave me sustenance.
He had built, he embellished to sustain the great,
a court on the poets' hill, a place for those who are fair,
a place where it is customary to receive fine clothes and
shelter,
20 a place that's never closed, [a place] of constant welcome.
A place that's used to wine and to serving drinking-horns,
a lively place, a tavern-pathway, where the Teifi bubbles.
A sweet, safe, place of marvellous beauty,
24 where the world's guests make merry without ever ceasing.
A spacious place full of the work of filling drinking-horns,
where there's unstinting strong wine for getting drunk.
Where by thy might, glorious God, I'll go again,
28 a place of full chambers, and filling gold vessels.
The court of a fine man, by many carpenters made splendidly,
a coloured lime-covered court, lantern-burning.
Most full, unblemished, of courteous goodness,
32 ready provision, bountiful land, diligently praised.
A tractable land, love of Gwri of the Golden Hair,
Llywelyn the mighty rules over it.
A ruler, an emperor of Aethelfrith's stewards,
36 he's Dyfed's leader, taming many.
A tribe's pillar, his kin extends as far as Gwyli,
benign, judge-like, a second Pryderi.
A radiant hand giving gold to guests, splintered spears,
40 wrath of Pyll, [with a] shattered weapon, the [full] smite of
Rhodri.
Mighty his lance, the spear of Beli in battle,
in temper just like lively-mighty Llyr, of lion valour.
A joyful treasure, and our lord who makes for us a thriving
life,
44 he has given me joy forever.
Fervent Llywelyn to shatter a battalion,
the owner of red gold whose good hand knows how to give.
Promote [and] don't diminish [him], Three-in-One, henceforth,
48 promote [full] powers in him; God support him.