by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Christus der Kinderfreund
 (Sung text for setting by P. Cornelius)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG ITA
Das zarte Knäblein ward ein Mann,
  Erlöst uns von der Sünde Bann;
Doch neigt'  er freundlich immerdar
  Und liebend sich zur Kinderschar.
Habt ihr den Ruf des Herrn vernommen,
  Des Heilands Stimme mild und weich?
"Lasset die Kleinen zu mir kommen,
  Denn ihrer ist das Himmelreich!"

Mich aber mahnt die Weihnachtszeit
  An Träume der Vergangenheit;
Erinnrungsodem hauchet mild
  Den Schleier von der Kindheit Bild;
Da Lichter hell am Baum erglommen,
  Ist mir, als würd' ich Kindern gleich,
Als dürft' ich mit Euch Kleinen kommen,
  Zu theilen Euer Himmelreich.

Composition:

    Set to music by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Christus der Kinderfreund", op. 8 no. 5 (1856), published 1871 [ voice and piano ], from Weihnachtslieder, no. 5, Leipzig, Fritzsch; note: in 1979 Geoffrey Emerson wrote a clarinet part to go along with this song

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Christ the Friend of Children", copyright ©
  • ENG English [singable] (Elsa Ebertz) , "Christ, the Children's friend"
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Cristo, l'amico dei bambini", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 89

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
The tender boy became a man
and redeemed us from the spell of sin;
Yet he always bows kindly
and lovingly to a crowd of children.
Have you heard the call of the Lord,
the Saviour's voice, mild and soft?
"Let the little ones come to me,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!"

But to me, Christmastime reminds me
of the dreams of the past;
a breath of memory gently wafts 
the veil away from images of childhood;
when the candles gleam brightly on the tree,
I feel as if I were a child again -
as if I could come with you children
to share your Heavenly Kingdom.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 109