Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Das einst ein Kind auf Erden war, Christkindlein kommt noch jedes Jahr. Kommet vom hohen Sternenzelt, Freut und beglücket alle Welt! Mit Kindern feiert's froh den Tag, Wo Christkind in der Krippe lag; Den Christbaum zündet's überall, Weckt Orgelklang und Glockenschall. Christkindlein kommt zu arm und reich, Die Guten sind ihm alle gleich. Danket ihm denn und grüßt es fein, Auch euch beglückte Christkindlein!
Authorship
- by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874) [author's text checked 1 time 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), "Christkind", op. 8 no. 6 (1856), published 1871 [voice and piano], from Weihnachtslieder, no. 6, Leipzig, Fritzsch; note: in 1979 Geoffrey Emerson wrote a clarinet part to go along with this song [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , title 1: "Christ-child", copyright ©
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , title 1: "Gesù Bambino", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64
He who once was a child on this earth, the Christ-child, comes yet again every year. He comes from the sublime starry sky, and delights and inspires all the world! He joyously celebrates with children the day the Christchild lay in his manger; All around, he ignites the Christmas trees and awakens the peal of an organ and the toll of bells. The Christ-child comes to the poor and the rich, for to him, the good are all alike. Thank him then, and greet him well; the Christ-child has made you happy as well!
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 94