The Ten Commandments of the Bards

The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg, Vol. I., ed. by J. Williams Ab Ithel, [1862], at sacred-texts.com

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE BARDS.

Here are the Ten Commandments of the Bards of the Cymry, from the Book of Joseph Jones.

1. Love thy God with the might of all thy body, with the might of all thy soul, with the might of all thy heart, with the might of all thy understanding, and with the might of all thy affection; and love no one but Him. He is one, and there is no God but He. Seek no other God but Him.

2. Beware of worshipping idols in the place of God--or any thing else whether in colour or effigy. Do not make an image of God out of anything in heaven or earth; and do not contemplate or invent any adoration to them, whatever they may be, whether they be in heaven, or in earth, or in the waters and seas of earth. Do no homage to any thing, which may be set forth in the form of God, for thou knowest not His form. If thou do, God will bring vengeance, on account of His dishonour, upon thee, thy children, thy grandchildren, and thy great-grandchildren. But if thou love thy God, with true veneration and obedience, He will love thee and thy posterity to the age of ages.

3. Take not the Name of thy God in vain, for he who does so is an immoral man. He who honours not God, will not honour His laws and commandments.

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4. Remember to keep Sunday religiously. It is lawful for thee to work for six days; but on the seventh day thou shalt rest, and leave off all work and occupation, that all thy family and all thy beasts of labour may rest. The seventh day is the rest of thy God. In six days He made heaven and celestials, the earth and terrestrials, all the worlds and their inhabitants; and on the seventh day He rested, blessing and sanctifying it. From this springs a claim to a season and time of rest on the part of every man and beast,--of every living and animate being.

5. Pay just respect, honour, and love to thy father and mother, and to every one who may be head and lord, by just rights, over thee. Because from this thou shalt obtain the favour of thy heavenly Father, quietness for thy district and home, peace and long life in the world, and the rewards of the world to come.

6. He who slays shall be slain; therefore, do not kill or commit murder, on any pretence whatsoever, upon any man or other living being, except to prevent thyself from being killed by foe or famine.

7. Tell no falsehood or perjury, be not an unjust witness against another, and conceal not the truth by word, deed, or behaviour.

8. Steal not the property of another, by oppression, treachery, daring, intention, cunning, or any other possibility; but do justice, for God is just, and He will repay according to what is just.

9. Avoid adultery and fornication, and dishonour not the wife Or daughter of any man whatsoever; but let there be unto thee a wedded wife of thy own, and be faithful to her, and let her be faithful to thee. God will revenge Himself upon adultery and fornication.

10. Be not covetous of any thing you see, whether they be houses, or lands, or oxen, or horses, or any beast, or wife, or daughter, or man servant, or maid servant, or anything whatsoever that belongs to another. For from covetousness arise every oppression and pillage, every avarice

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and extortion, every niggardliness and sharpness, every uncharitableness and want of alms-giving, and every illiberal and disagreeable conduct.

And thus end the Ten Commandments, from the keeping of which every goodness and blessing, and the love of God and men, and every felicity in the present world, and in the world to come, will accrue to man.