Deffro 'n awr medd llais gwyliedydd

Deffro 'n awr, medd llais gwyliedydd
O uchel dyrau y magŵyrydd,
  Dihuna'n llon, Gaersalem dref!
Canol nos yw'r awr a dery,
A chôr o leisiau sydd yn gweiddi:
  Forynion call, a glywch chwi'r llef?
    Fe ddaw'r Priodfab cu,
    Cymerwch lampau lu,
      Haleliwia!
  Yn barod 'n awr i'r neithior fawr,
  Ewch allan bawb i gwrdd ag Ef.

Seion glyw y lleisiau'n canu:
A'i chalon lawen yn dychlamu,
  Dihuna'n abrwydd gyda chân.
Daw ei chyfaill hoff o'r nefoedd,
Yn fawr ei ras ac aml ei nerthoedd:
  Fe gyfyd seren Seion lân.
    O tyred, goron wiw,
    Crist Iesu, gwir Fab Duw.
      Haleliwia!
  Dilynwn ni yn llawen lu
  I'r wledd â'i byrddau
          bras di-ri.

Mawl a chlod,
        â sŵn symbalau,
Cydganwn byth ar beraidd dannau;
  O eitha'r pen daw'r atsain gref.
Deuddeg perl yw pyrth dy ddinas;
Fe saif angylaidd lu o gwmpas
  Dy orsedd uchel yn y nef.
    Ni welodd llygad byw,
    Ni chlywodd dynol-ryw
      Y fath fwyniant!
  Fel tonnu'r môr fe gân ein côr
  Haleliwia i'r Arglwdd Iôr.

Awake now, says the voice of the watchman
From the high towers of the fortification,
  Wake up cheerfully, town of Jerusalem!
Midnight is the hour that strikes,
And a choir of voices is shouting:
  Wise Virgins, do you hear the cry?
    The dear Bridegroom comes,
    Take your host of lamps,
       Hallelujah!
  Ready now for the great wedding feast,
  Go ye all out to meet with him.

Zion hears the voices singing:
With her joyful heart leaping,
  She wakes up suddenly with a song.
Her favoured friend comes from heaven,
Great his grace and manifold his strengths:
  The star of holy Zion rises.
    O come thou, worthy crown,
    Jesus Christ, the true Son of God.
      Hallelujah!
    Let us follow as a joyful host
    To the feast with its
            unnumbered fat tables.

Praise and acclaim,
        with the sound of cymbals,
Let us chorus forever on sweet strings;
  From the utmost end come the strong echo.
Twelve pearls are the gates of thy city;
An angelic host stands around
  Thy high throne in heaven.
    No living eye has seen,
    Human-kind has not heard
      Such enjoyment!
  Like waves of the sea our choir sings
  Hallelujah to the Sovereign Lord.

"Sleepers, wake!" the watch cry pealeth,
While slumber deep each eyelid sealeth:
  Awake, Jerusalem, awake!
Midnight's solemn hour is tolling,
And seraph-notes are onward rolling;
  They call on us our part to take.
    Come forth, ye virgins wise:
    The Bridegroom comes, arise!
      Alleluia!
  Each lamp be bright with ready light
  To grace the marriage feast tonight.

Zion hears the voice that singeth
With sudden joy her glad heart springeth,
  At once she wakes, she stands arrayed:
Her light is come, her star ascending,
Lo, girt with truth, with mercy blending,
  Her Bridegroom there, so long delayed.
    All hail! God's glorious Son,
    All hail! our joy and crown,
      Alleluia!
  The joyful call we answer all,
  And follow to the
         bridal hall.

Praise to Him who
        goes before us!
Let men and angels join in chorus,
  Let harp and cymbal add their sound.
Twelve the gates, a pearl each portal:
We haste to join the choir immortal
  Within the Holy City's bound.
    Ear ne'er heard aught like this,
    Nor heart conceived such bliss.
      Alleluia!
  We raise the song, we swell the throng,
  To praise Thee ages all along.

from the German
Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme

Philipp Nicolai 1556-1608

Tune [898.898.664.88]:
  Wachet Auf (P Nicolai / J S Bach)