| "Yma o Hyd" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Dafydd Iwan ac Ar Log | |
| from the album Yma o Hyd | |
| Released | 1983 |
| Recorded | 1981 |
| Genre | folk music |
| Length | 4:11 |
| Writer(s) | Dafydd Iwan |
Yma o Hyd (English: Still Here) is a patriotic song in the Welsh language released by Dafydd Iwan in 1981. The historian and politician Dr. Gwynfor Evans is said to have given him the idea for the song.
It is very popular with Welsh folk music fans and widely considered second only to Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (the official national anthem of Wales). The lyrics of the song start with a reference to the Romano-British imperator Macsen Wledig who left Wales and the shores of Britannia in AD 383 to claim the throne of the Romans.
The song proudly proclaims Ry'n ni yma o hyd, er gwaetha pawb a phopeth which translates as "We're still here, despite the worst of everyone and everything." It relates to the continuing survival of the Welsh people and their language "until Judgement Day" - a reference to a famous conversation recorded by Gerald of Wales between King Henry II of England and an elderly Welshman during one of his campaigns in the 12th century. Of the continued survival of the Welsh language the old man tells the king;
"Never will it be destroyed by the wrath of man, unless the wrath of God be added, nor do I think that any other nation than this of Wales, or any other tongue, whatever may hereafter come to pass, shall on the day of the great reckoning before the Most High Judge, answer for this corner of the Earth."
Dwyt ti'm yn cofio Macsen,
Does neb yn ei nabod o;
Mae mil a chwe chant o flynyddoedd
Yn amser rhy hir i'r co';
Pan aeth Magnus Maximus o Gymru
Yn y flwyddyn tri-chant-wyth-tri,
A'n gadael yn genedl gyfan
A heddiw: wele ni!
[Cytgan]
Ry'n ni yma o hyd, x2
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth, x3
Ry'n ni yma o hyd, x2
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth,x3
Ry'n ni yma o hyd.
Chwythed y gwynt o'r Dwyrain,
Rhued y storm o'r môr,
Hollted y mellt yr wybren
A gwaedded y daran encôr,
Llifed dagrau'r gwangalon
A llyfed y taeog y llawr
Er dued yw'r fagddu o'n cwmpas
Ry'n ni'n barod am doriad y wawr!
[Cytgan]
Cofiwn i Facsen Wledig
Adael ein gwlad yn un darn
A bloeddiwn gerbron y gwledydd
'Mi fyddwn yma tan Ddydd y Farn!'
Er gwaetha pob Dic Siôn Dafydd,
Er gwaetha 'rhen Fagi a'i chriw
Byddwn yma hyd ddiwedd amser
A bydd yr iaith Gymraeg yn fyw!
[Cytgan]
You don't remember Macsen,
Nobody knows him;
One thousand and six hundred years
Is a time too long to remember;
When Magnus Maximus left Wales
In the year 383
Leaving us a whole nation
And today - look at us!
[Chorus]
We are still here x2
Despite the worst of everyone and everything x3
We are still here x2
Despite the worst of everyone and everything x3
We are still here.
[End of Chorus]
The wind blew from the East
The storm roared from the sea
The lightning split the heavens
And the thunder shouted "Encore!"
The tears of the weak-hearted flowed
And the servile licked the floor
Despite the blackness around us
We are ready for the breaking of the dawn!
[Chorus]
We remember that Macsen the Emperor
Left our country in one whole piece,
And we shall shout before the nations
'We'll be here until Judgement Day!'
Despite every Dic Siôn Dafydd
Despite old Maggie and her crew,
We'll be here until the end of time,
And the Welsh language will be alive!
[Chorus]