Well, I did it…

I gave a reading of ‘Calon Lân’ at my maternal grandmother’s funeral service in Somerset. As one of her sisters had died just before Christmas, and both her (Welsh-speaking) daughters are teachers who didn’t feel they could take more time off work, I was the only person attending my grandmother’s service who felt confident and comfortable enough to give a reading in Welsh. The English translation of ‘Calon Lân’ is ‘Pure Heart’ and the Welsh and English words are posted below:

Nid wy’n gofyn bywyd moethus, Aur y byd na’i berlau mân: Gofyn wyf am galon hapus, Calon onest, calon lân.Calon lân yn llawn daioni, Tecach yw na’r lili dlos: Dim ond calon lân all ganu Canu’r dydd a chanu’r nos. Pe dymunwn olud bydol, Hedyn buan ganddo sydd; Golud calon lân, rinweddol, Yn dwyn bythol elw fydd. Chorus Hwyr a bore fy nymuniad Gwyd i’r nef ar adain cân Ar i Dduw, er mwyn fy Ngheidwad, Roddi i mi galon lân. Chorus

I don’t ask for a luxurious life, the world’s gold or its fine pearls, I ask for a happy heart, an honest heart, a pure heart.A pure heart full of goodness Is fairer than the pretty lily, None but a pure heart can sing, Sing in the day and sing in the night. If I wished for worldly wealth, It would swiftly go to seed; The riches of a virtuous, pure heart Will bear eternal profit. Chorus Evening and morning, my wish Rising to heaven on the wing of song For God, for the sake of my Saviour, To give me a pure heart. Chorus