All Through the Night

Rise Up Singing:

Lullabies

p. 131

Alternate Title:

Ar Hyd y Nos

First Line:

Sleep my child and peace attend thee

Artist & Tune

Composed by:

Sir Harold Boulton

Version by Byrn Terfel

Version by Pioneer High School

Version by Celtic Ladies Christmas

Version by Prairie Home Companion Cast

Reference

Genre:

hymn, lullaby

About the Song

Print source:

Worship in Song: A Friends Hymnal #213

This is a traditional Welsh song. The most popular Welsh lyrics were written by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-1887). The most sung English verses are a very loose translation of the Welsh and are by Sir Harold Boulton (1859–1935). A literal translation of the Welsh is found below.

Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant
Ar hyd y nos
"Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant,"
Ar hyd y nos.
Golau arall yw tywyllwch
I arddangos gwir brydferthwch
Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch
Ar hyd y nos.
Hyd y nos.

O mor siriol, gwena'r seren
Ar hyd y nos
I oleuo'i chwaer ddaearen
Ar hyd y nos.
Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd
Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd
Rhown ein golau gwan i'n gilydd
Ar hyd y nos.
Hyd y nos.

Wikipedia Entry

Mudcat

Misc Info

Translation(s)

Translation:

Literal translation of Hughes' Welsh lyrics:

All the stars' twinkles say
All through the night
"This is the way to the realm of glory,"
All through the night.
Other light is darkness
To show true beauty
The Heavenly family in peace
All through the night.
Through the night.

O, how cheerful smiles the star,
All through the night
To light its earthly sister
All through the night.
Old age is night when affliction comes
But to beautify man in his late days
We'll put our weak light together
All through the night.
Through the night.

Alt Lyrics

There have been many other English verses written to this lullaby: some Christian, some secular, some parodies. You can find a number of these in the Wikipedia and Mudcat links on this song page. Our own two favorite additional verses are below:

3. Deep the silence round us spreading,
All through the night;
Dark the path that we are treading,
All through the night.
Still the coming day discerning,
By the hope within us burning,
To the dawn our footsteps turning,
All through the night.

4. Star of Faith the dark adorning,
All through the night;
Leads us fearless toward the morning,
All through the night.
Though our hearts be wrapped in sorrow,
From the home of dawn we borrow,
Promise of a glad tomorrow,
All through the night.

The first 2 verses that are in Rise Up Singing are by Sir Harold Boulton. The two additiional verses above are anonymous.