Mi Gerddaf Gyda Thi, A Translation from Welsh by Ms T. Magpie Cat

I do sometimes do things other than sew or mope about my cat.  Such as look at beautiful shops like Buddug, and develop a terrible need for things like this plate:

The poem (just the first verse) on it is rather lovely too, and they translate it as follows:

"I will walk with you across distant paths
Flowers and dreams will bless our journey
Into your eyes I will gaze and holding your hand
I will walk with you whatever may come"

I was very taken with it, and although I can barely speak a word of Welsh, I found an audio recording of it (I've since lost the link, of course) and it is just lovely.  The full text is here:

Mi gerddaf gyda thi dros lwybrau maith,

A blodau, cân a breuddwyd ar ein taith;

I`th lygaid syllaf i a dal dy law:

Mi gerddaf gyda thi, beth bynnag ddaw.

Mi gerddaf gyda thi pan fydd y lloer

Fel llusern yn y nen ar noson oer.

Addawaf i ti'n ghalon i yn llwyr:

Mi gerddaf gyda thi drwy oriau'r hwyr.

Mi gerddaf gyda thi drwy weddill f'oes,

Pan fydd yr haul ar fryn neu'r dyddiau'n groes;

A phan ddaw'r alwad draw, pwy wyr pa awr,

Mi gerddaf gyda thi i’r freuddwyd fawr. 

So then I looked for a full translation of the whole poem.  What I found was...   

I'll be honest, I am not feeling that translation AT ALL.  A bit too much of the golden dreams and starlight and not quite enough of the simple, sincere feeling I had from the bare translation.  But it's a poem that rhymes, and I felt like a translation of it should rhyme too, and so with the help of Google Translate and my wonderful friend who is a native Welsh speaker, I decided to have a go myself. And here is what I have ended up with:

I will walk with you though the road be long,

And set forth with a flower, a dream, a song.

I take your hand, look in your eyes and know

I will walk with you anywhere you go.

I will walk with you when the full moon's light

Is like a lantern in the coldest night.

I promise you my heart, entire and all,

I will walk with you as the shadows fall.

I will walk with you all the years ahead,

On sunlit hills and when the sun has fled.

And when our call is heard, its hour unguessed,

I will walk with you through the lands of rest.

I don't know if it's better or not, but I like it more.  If anyone should happen upon it and decide they want to use it for anything, please do so with my blessing!

Not quilting, not cats, but I was rather proud of it so I thought I'd share.  Have a lovely weekend!