December 12.
National Song.
To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.
Sir,—I perceive in [page 539] of the present volume, you have inserted the national song of “God save the King,” in the Welsh language, as translated by the able and learned Dr. W. O. Pughe, perhaps the following version of the same in the Gaelic language, or that spoken by the Highlanders of Scotland, may prove acceptable to many readers.
O Dhia! cum suas, ard Dheors’ ar Righ,
Gleidh fad ’a slan an Righ,
Dhia tearn án Righ.
Cuir buaidh, air a shluagh ’sa chath,
Dion iad, fo d’ sgiath ’s mhagh
Gu’m fad a riaghlis é gu maith,
Dhia sabhal an Righ.
O Dhia! le d’ sgiath dion da shliochd,
Gun choirp ’s gun chunart am feasd,
Crun ’oirdearg na Righachd.
Thoir dha, thar uile namhid, buaidh,
Air tir agus, air a chuan,
’S gliocas mòr an fheum uair,
Dhia bean’ichdo shluagh an Righ.
Bithidh ait’n diugh thar tir na ’n tònn,
Aoibhneas, aighar, ceol’s fònn,
Air son deugh shlaint ’an Righ.
Deich agus da fhichid bliadhna
Le cumhachd, onair agus cial,
Lion è caithir alba na buaidh,
Buanich O Dhia! sa’ ol an Righ.
Among the translations of Dr. Owen Pughe, his version of “Non nobis Domine” is excellent. I subjoin it, that you may make what use of it you please.
O, nid i ni, ein Jor, o nid i ni,
Ond deled i dy Enw ogoniant byth,
Ond deled i dy Enw ogoniant byth.
Gwilym Sais.