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

Three kings from Persian lands afar
to Jordan follow the pointing star:
And this the quest of the travellers three,
where the new-born King of the Jews may be.
Full royal gifts they bear for the King:
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

The star shines out with steadfast ray;
the kings to Bethlehem make their way,
and there in worship they bend the knee,
as Mary's child in her lap they see;
their royal gifts they show to the King:
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

Thou child of man, lo, to Bethlehem
the kings are trav'ling, travel with them!
The star of mercy, the star of grace,
shall lead thy heart to its resting place.
Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring:
Offer thy heart to the infant King, offer thy heart!