The Reference to "Y Delyn Aur" by Price and Annie Davies

In my last blog I shared the translation and transcription found upon the headstone of Price and Annie Davies' grave. 


It finished with an almost hauntingly beautiful phrase, "Byth Ar Swn Y Delyn Aur", which in English means, "Ever to the sound of the golden harp."
It was a reference to a welsh hymn they both loved. The words are available in several places online. 
In welsh they are: 



"Dechreu canu, dechreu canmol -
Ym mhen mil o filoedd maith -
Iesu, bydd y pererinion
Ni cheir diwedd Hyfryd draw ar ben eu taith;
Melus fydd y fwyn gyfeillach Byth ar sŵn y delyn aur. 

Yn y pur ogoniant maith,
Melus meddwlMelus fydd cydganu'r anthem 

O'r un ysbryd o'r un iaith;
Sut y dringodd eiddil, gwan Na fydd raid ymadael mwy.

Yno caf fi ddweud yr hanes 

Drwy afonydd a thros greigiau
drwy eitha'r nef. 

Dyrys, anial, serth i'r lan; 

 Iesu ei hunan Gaiff y clod 

Nid oes yno ddiwedd canu,
Canmol Duw yn nhŷ fy Nhad. 

Nid oes yno ddiwedd clod, Nid oes yno ddiwedd cofio Pob cystuddiau a fu'n bod; 

Byth ni dderfydd

- - - - -

Dechreu canu, dechreu canmol
Yn mhen myrdd o oesoedd maithY bydd pawb o'r gwaredigion
'R ochor draw ar ben eu taith; Ni bydd diwedd, Byth ar sŵn y delyn aur.
Hyn fydd gwaith yr hyfryd wlad,Ni bydd yno dywallt dagrau: Cofio'r groes, a grym y cariad,
Tynion dannau'r delyn aur! A chlodfori am y gwaed:
Byth ni threulia,

- - - - -

Dechreu canu, dechreu canmol,
Yn mhen mil o filoedd maith,Iesu bydd y gwaredigion
Ni bydd diwedd, Hyfryd draw ar ben eu taith;
Bydd ein croesau wedi darfod Byth ar swn y delyn aur.
Ar ei orsedd ddisglaer bur; Draw ar fryniau'r nefol dir; Pan gawn weled ei ogoniant
Dewch at Iesu, dewch yr awr'on, Ni bydd diwedd, Byth ar swn y delyn aur. Mae yn galw arnoch chwi,
Byth ar swn y delyn aur.I ymuno gyda'r dyrfa Sydd yn canu'r anthem fry;
Ni bydd diwedd,

In English 

Singing starts, extolling starts

At the head of a thousand vast thousands
Jesus, the pilgrims will be
Pleasant yonder at the end of their journey;
There will be no end Ever to the sound of the golden harp.
Sweet it will be to sing together the anthem
Sweet will be the gentle friendship In the pure, vast glory,
There will be no need to leave again.
From the one spirit from the one language; Sweet to think There I may tell the story
Jesus himself
How he climbed, feeble, weak, Through rivers, and over the rocks Tricky, wild and steep to the goal;
There is there no end to praise,
Will have the praise through the highest heaven. There is there no end to singing,
The praise-song of God in my Father's house.
There is there no end to remembering All the afflictions which have been; Never will end - - - - -

Singing starts, extolling starts

At the head of a myriad of vast ages
All of the delivered will be
On the far side at the end of their journey;
There will be no end Ever to the sound of the golden harp.
This will be the work of the delightful land,
There will be no shedding of tears: Remembering the cross, and the power of the love,
The taut strings of the golden harp!
And offering praise for the blood:
Never wear out, will

- - - - -
Singing starts, extolling starts,

At the head of a thousand of vast thousands,
Jesus shall be of the delivered ones
There shall be no end,
Delightful yonder at the end of his journey;
Yonder on the hills of the heavenly land;
Ever to the sound of the golden harp. Our cross shall have vanished
Every to the sound of the golden harp.
When we get to see his glory On his pure, shining throne; There shall be no end,
Who are singing the anthem above;
Come ye to Jesus, come ye this hour, He is calling upon you, To join with the throng There shall be no end,
Ever to the sound of the golden harp.

_________

No one seems to know the origins of the tune and it seems the tune itself was not officially published until 1879, but the song is definitely much older than this. I believe the 1879 version was by Ann Griffiths, but William Williams Pantycelyn was a non conformist minister, writer and composer from the 1700's who penned the words.

Youtube has a harpist playing the song.There is also a version of the hymn sung by Hywe Girls Choir and Hywel boys singers.