Tag: Arthur Harold Weston

O parve vice Bethlehem
quam tacitus iaces!
super somnum stellae tuum
volvuntur silentes.
sed noctis in tenebris
aeterna lux splendet.
iam temporum spes omnium
curaque in te manet.
nam Christus ex Maria
natus, et in caelo
sunt congressi nunc angeli
amore cum pio.
o stellae matutinae,
cantate caelitus!
Deo laudes sint insignes,
et pax hominibus.
quam tacite, quam tacite,
mirum datur donum.
sic dat Deus mortalibus
ex caelo gaudium.
cum venit, non auditur,
sed in mundi culpis,
ubi animae volunt bonae,
intrat Christus nobis.
o sancte puer Bethlehem,
oramus: venias!
fac animos nobis castos
puras fac et vitas.
nunc angelos audimus
qui iubilant laeti.
cum omnibus o mansurus
Emmanuel, veni!
(Phillips Brooks, O parve vice Bethlehem, tr. Arthur Harold Weston)

O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee to-night.

O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
and peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep the Angels keep
their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given;
so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His Heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still,
the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy
pray to the blessed Child,
where misery cries out to Thee,
son of the Mother mild;
where Charity stands watching
and Faith holds wide the door,
the dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels,
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!

(Phillips Brooks’ original)