Drei [Könige]1 wandern aus Morgenland,
Ein Sternlein führt sie zum Jordanstrand,
In Juda fragen und forschen die Drei,
Wo der [neugeborne]2 König sei?
Sie wollen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold
[Zum Opfer weihen dem Knäblein hold]3.

Und hell erglänzet des Sternes Schein,
Zum Stalle gehen die [Könige]1 ein,
Das Knäblein schaun sie wonniglich,
Anbetend neigen die [Könige]1 sich;
Sie bringen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold
Zum Opfer dar dem Knäblein hold.

O Menschenkind, halte treulich Schritt!
Die Kön'ge wandern, o wandre mit!
Der Stern [des Friedens]4, der Gnade Stern
Erhelle Dein Ziel, [wenn]5 Du suchst den Herrn,
Und fehlen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold,
Schenke Dein Herz dem Knäblein hold!

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Peter Cornelius, Gedichte, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig: C.F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 141. Note: the footnotes below show the changes Cornelius made for his song setting.

¹ Cornelius: "Kön'ge"
² Cornelius: "neugeborene"
³ Cornelius: "Dem Kinde spenden zum Opfersold"
⁴ Cornelius: "der Liebe"
⁵ Cornelius: "so"

Text Authorship:

• by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Die Könige", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Zu eignen Weisen, in Weihnachtslieder [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Die Könige", op. 8 no. 3 (1856), published 1871 [ voice and piano ], from Weihnachtslieder, no. 3, Leipzig, Fritzsch [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The Kings", copyright ©
• ENG English [singable] (H. N. Bate) , "The three kings"
• ENG English [singable] (Elsa Ebertz) , "The Kings"
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "I Re", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 116

From Eastern land three kings have wandered o'er,
A star hath led them to Jordan's shore.
And in Judea they ask ev'ry one
Where the promised king of the Jews be born?
Gold, myrrh and incense, sweet'ning the air,
They bring to the child as an off'ring fair.

Unto the manger the gleaming star
Hath led the three kings from afar;
With love they gaze on the infant mild,
All three they worship the holy child.
Gold, myrrh and incense, sweet'ning the air,
They bring to the child as an off'ring fair.

O child of man! tarry not so long!
The kinds are wand'ring, come too, be strong!
The star of love, the star of grace,
Shall lead thee before the Allmighty's face;
Hast thou not myrrh and incense and gold,
Thy faithful heart do not withhold!