Book of Taliesin II

I will offer a prayer to the Trinity,
May the Eternal grant me to praise thee!
In the present course, dangerous
Our work; destruction is a slight impulse of wrath.
They reckon of the saints a tribe,
King of heaven, may I be eloquent about thee!
Before the separation of my soul from my flesh.
Thou particularly knowest in what is my sin.

Thy entreaty before the paternal, governance
May there be to me from the Trinity mercy!
I adore, I earnestly long for the elements of blood,
Nine degrees of the mystic troops of heaven,
And the tenth, saints a preparation of sevens.
Heroic numberer of languages,
A conspicuous sea-shoal of goodly increase.
A number that God will watch with extreme love.
In heaven, in earth, at the end,
In straits, in expanse, in form,
In body, in soul, in habit,
Prudence (is) far from the presence of kings.
I adore thee, Ruler of the land of peace.
Let my soul be in a condition of life;
For ever in (his) court;
A servant of heaven (to be), he will not refuse me.

Apostles and martyrs,
Youths, supplicants of glory,
And Solomon (that) served God:
Of pure speech, of pure walk, thy quality
And a verdant gift will come to me.
As long as I keep my faculties.
Numbers there were clean and holy,
Steps, golden columns of the church.
And many writers have declared,
Skilled in the fully-holy books,
For the multitude discarded anxiety.
May my soul be defended from it!

A number there were in the incondurrence
Of Uffern1, a cold refuge;
During the five ages of the world,
Until when Christ loosened the bondage.
From the deep shore of the abyss of evil
Many God brought through protection,
Two thousand Sons of the children of Ilia.
A bimatu et infra
Slew the amistra.
Edris ertri kila
The tears of Rachel2, it was seen that a plague
Had come to Jerusalem.

The number of the saints of Armorica,
And a number in the form of Toronia,
That had broken the advanced Caer of Roma.
And Poli and Alexandria
And Garanwys and Indra
Tres partes divicia [divided into three parts–MJ]
Asicia, Affrica, Europa [Asia, Africa, Europe].

The number of the saints in Capharnaum3, Marituen, and Naim,
And Zabulon and Cisuen and Ninifen and Neptalim
In Dubriactus and Zorim
In it prophesied Christ, the son of Mary, daughter of Joachim;
From the chief temple of the chief infidel nation.

The number of the saints of Erechalde,
The fame far of the castle of Maria.
That broke not again Syloe
Ecclesie retunde
Phalatie cesarie
Amanion amabute,
And the valleys of Bersabe.
And before the Christian religion the men of Cartasine,
And the severely just ones of Retunde,
The languages, Greek and Hebrew,
And Latin, men of gleaming pervasion.

The number of saints in scores,
Valiant men, golden their party.
Before kings a career of praise,
Warriors, no one was before them in demanding.
In straits, in expanse, in every need,
May they be a city to our body and our soul!

The number of the saints of Sicomorialis,
And isle of Deffrobani.
And the holy multitude that blessed
Water, wine, hostile men destroyed.
And entreating his exalted weight,
Under the stars, saints he planted.

The number of the saints that the upper region holds,
Effectus re inferior
A superare superior
And armonim and thyfor
And the valley of Enor and Segor,
And Carthage the greater and the less,
And the green isle, the boundary of the sea.

The number of the saints of the Isle of Prydein [Britain],
And Iwerdon [Ireland], a gentle portion.
Multitudes, of beautiful works,
Believed, served with us.

The number of saints, a synod without desire,
From God the divine prophesy.
In every tongue they compose,
About the earth they were,
And so many wisely prophesied
Christ, and before he was, they were.

The number of the saints of the East,
And the concord of the nation of Judah.
Languages of Greek and Hebrew,
And Latin, men of gleaming pervasion.

Seven scores, seven scores, seven hundreds of saints,
And seven thousands and seven ten scores,
November a number implored,
Though martyrs good they came.
Fifteen scores of saints there were
And three thousand children of Morialis.
In these Decembers above relatives
Over the head of Jesus utter sighs.

Twelve thousand in the convention
Believed through the voice of John.
They worship, they deserve a portion,
In heaven they will not be angry.

Nine thousand saints received
Baptism, and religion, and confession.
Notwithstanding death the punishment of people (is) heat,
Uffern, cold its refuge. If the Lord hath satisfied us,
Through the head of Peter was made the destitute.

Qui venerunt angli
In natale Domini
Media nocte in laudem
Cum pastoribus in Bethleezn.
Nivem anghi de celo
Cum Michaele archanglo
Qui precedunt precelio
Erga animas in mundo
Am nivem nivem angeli.
Precedunt confirmati
Vnistrati baptizati
Usque in diem judicii.
Quando fuit Christus crucifixus ut sibi
Ipse placuisset venissent ibi in auxilium
Plusquam duodecim legiones angelorum.
Toto orbe terrarum.
Jesus Christus videntem in agonia in mundo.
Ut sint nostri auxiium
Duodecim milia miiantein
Ante tribunal stantern.
Qui laudantie laudantium
Tues mores rex regum.4

The number that have been, and will be,
Above heaven, below heaven, how many there are.
And as many as have believed in revelation,
Believed through the will of the Lord.
As many as are on wrath through the circles,
Have mercy, God, on thy kindred.
May I be meek, the turbulent Ruler,
May I not endure, before I am without motion.
Grievously complaineth every lost one,
Hastily claimeth every needy one.
An exceedingly displeased mind will not run
From (its) present course, when I am angry.
I will declare when I am in the gravel,
From the maintenance of gifts,
From being numbered, from going to be a martyr
In the reckoning of Saint Segerno.
From a word when sin may be to me,
Let there be no sigh from those that hear me.

1. Uffern: lit. “inferno”–hell, the underworld, derived from the Latin inferno; it is different from the earlier, more pagan Welsh concept of Annwfn as the otherworld/underworld.
2. “Rachel…”: see Mt 2:16-18, Jer 31:15:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation
Rachel weeping for her children
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.”

3. Capharnaum: Capernaum, the city in Galilee where Jesus began and conducted most of his ministry, and where he found most of his Apostles.
4. “Qui…”: for some reason, part of a Latin hymn has been placed into the text. I will attempt to translate this at a later time.

Marvnat y Vil Veib Llyfr Taliesin II

Archaf wedi yr trindawt.
Ren am rothwyr dyvolawt.
O ryret pressent periglawt.
An gweith an reith gwyth gogyffrawt.
Yd edryfynt seint sef kiwdawt.
Rex nef bwyf ffraeth o honawt.
Kyn yscar vy eneit am knavt.
Rymawyr ym pa ym pechawt.

Ty eirolet rac ried.
Bydwyf or trindawt trugared.
Iolaf rybechaf eluyd gwaed.
Naw rad nef nestic toruoed.
A decuet seint seic seithoed.
Gwrhydrych ryfyd ieithoed.
Morheic mat gynnyd kyhoed.
Nifer awyl Duw trychoed.
Yn nef yn dayar yn diwed.
yn yg yn ehag yn ygwed.
Ygcorff yn eneit yn hagwed.
Pell pwyll rac rihyd racwed.
Athiolaf wledig wlat hed.
Poet ym heneit ymbuched.
Yn tragywyd ygkynted
Yn gwas nef nym gomed.

Ebestyl a merthyri.
Gwerydon gwedwon gofri.
A selyf Duw a serui.
Glan ieith glan teith dyteithi.
Ac yn duun glas dyfyd imi.
Hyt pan ruchatwyf vynteithi.
Nifer auuant glan lwys
Gradeu eur golofneu eglwys.
Ar meint traethadur a traethwys
Sywedyd llyfreu llwyrlwys.
Rac gwerin digarat diswys.
Boet ym heneit y amdiffynnwys.

Nifer a uuant yn aghyffret
Uffern. oer gwerin gwaretret.
Hyt pymhoes byt.
Hyt pan dillygwys Christ keithiwet.
O dwfyn ueis affwys abret.
Meint dyduc Duwtrwy nodet.
Dwy vil veib o plant llia.
A bimatu et infra.
A ledeint yr amistra
Edris ertri kila.
Deccrawn rachel gwelsit pla.
Dybi ierosolima

Nifer seint amorica.
Anifer yn dull toronia.
A thorsi trachaer roma.
A poli ac alexandria.
A garanwys ac indra.
Tres partes diuicia.
Asicia affrica europa.

Nifer seint capharnawm. marituen anaim
A zabulon a cisuen a ninifen a neptalim.
In dubriactus a zorim.
Yndi y proffwydwys Crist vab meir verch ioachim.
O artemhyl pen echen pan ym.

Nifer seint erechalde.
Clot pell castell marie.
Nat attorroed syloe.
Eclie retunde
Phalatie cesarie.
Amanion amabute.
A dyffrynoed bersabe.
A chyncret gwyr cartasine.
A reithuoryon retwnde.
Ieithoed groec a efrei
A lladin gwyr llacharte.

Nifer seint enugyneit.
Dewrwyr echeurin eu pleit.
Rac rihyd rwysc uoleit.
Ketwyr neb cu kyneircheit.
Yn yg yn ehag ym pop reit.
Bwynt dinas in corffac yn heneit.

Nifer seint sicomorialis.
A deproffani ynys.
Ar meint glan a vendigwys
Dwfyr gwin gwyr al distrywys.
Ac eirawl ei urdawl pwys.
Dan syr seint ryseilwys.

Nifer seint a deily goror.
Effectus re inferior.
A superare superior.
Ac armonim a thyfor.
A dyffryn enor a segor.
A chartago mawr a minor.
Ac ynys gwyr terwyn mor.

Nifer seint ynys prydein.
Ac iwerdon adwyn ran.
Toruoed gweithredoed mirein.
A gredis a gweinis y genhyn.

Nifer seint sened anchwant.
O Duw dewin darogant.
Ympop ieith ym prydant.
Ygkylch eluyd y buant.
Ar meint doethur a darogan
Crist achyn dybei dybuant.

Nifer seint orient.
A chyfundawt kiwdawt iude.
Ieithoed groec ac efrei.
A lladin gwyr llacharte.

Seith vgeint seith vgeint seith cant o seint
A seith mil a seith dec vgeint
Nouember nifer aduunant.
Trwy verthyri mat doethant.
Pymthec vgeint seint a uuant.
A their mil moralis plant.
Hijs decembris uch carant.
Tra phen Jessu dichiorant.

Deudeg mil yny gyman
A gredwys trwy lef ieuan.
Golychan gobrynant van.
Yn nefoed nys digofant.

Naw mil seint a aruolles
Bedyd a chrefyd achyffes.
Tr goleith peon poploed gwres.
Vffern oer y hachles.
Os dofyd ryndigones.
Trwy pen pedyr perit anlles.

Qui venerunt angli
In natale dņi
Mediai nocte in laudem
Cum pastoribus in bethleem.
Niuem angli de celo
Cum michaele archanglo
Qui precedunt precelio
Erga animas in mundo.
Am niuem angeli.
Precedunt confirmati.
Vnistrati baptizati
Usque in diem iudicii.
Quando fuit Chrstus crucifixus ut sibi
Ipsi placuisset. venissent ibi in awxilium.
Plusquam duodecim legiones angelorum
Toto orbe terrarum.
Jesus Christus uidentem in agonia in mundo.
Vt sint nostri auxilium
Duodecim milia miliantem
Ante tribunal stantem.
Qui laudantie Laudantium
Tues mores rex regum.

Nifer auu ac auyd
Vch nef is nef meint yssyd.
Ar meint a gredwys ygkywyd.
A gredis trwy ewyllis dofyd.
Meint ar lit trwy yrodyd.
Trugar duw dygerenhyd.
An bwyr gwar anwar gwledic.
Nyth godwyf kyn bwyf diennic.
Tost yt gwyn pop colledic.
Ffest yd hawl eissywedic
ny reha bryt ryodic.
O ryret pressent pan wyf dic.
Traethaf pan vydaf yggro
O ossymdeith osepio
a ryfyr o merthyr elo.
Yn edryfynt seint segerno.
O eir pechawt pan ymbo.
Dim uch dim meint am clyho.