by
Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827)
Gebet in der Christnacht
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: DUT ENG FRE
O Liebe, die am Kreuze rang,
O Liebe, die den Tod bezwang
Für alle Menschenkinder,
Gedenk' in dieser [sel'gen]1 Nacht,
Die dich zu uns herab gebracht,
Der Seelen, die dir fehlen!
O Liebe, die den Stern gesandt
Hinaus ins ferne Morgenland,
Die Könige zu rufen;
Die laut durch ihres Boten Mund
Sich gab den armen Hirten kund,
Wie bist du still geworden?
Noch eine fromme Hirtin liegt
In blindem Schlummer eingewiegt
Und träumt von grünen Bäumen.
Singt nicht vor ihrem Fensterlein
Ein Engel: Esther, lass mich ein,
Der Heiland ist geboren?
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• F. Hensel View original text (without footnotes)
1 Mendelssohn-Hensel: "heil'gen"
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Gebed in de kerstnacht", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Michael P. Rosewall) , "Prayer on Christmas Eve", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Prière pour la nuit de Noël", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Lau Kanen
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2007-08-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 92
Prayer on Christmas Eve
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
O Love, that suffered on the cross,
O Love, that overcame death
For all the children of men,
Think, on this holy night,
About that which you brought down to us,
These souls, that long for you!
O Love, who sent forth the star
Into the distant Orient,
To summon the Kings;
Who through the mouth of its messenger
Loudly made known to the poor shepherds,
How quietly you came to be?
A pious shepherdess yet lies,
Cradled in sightless slumber
And dreams of green trees.
And does an angel sing at her little window
“Esther, let me in,
The Savior is born?”
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Michael P Rosewall, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 103
