Scripture Verse

The wolf…shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

Introduction

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Alfonso M. de’ Liguori
1696–1787

Words: Al­fon­so de’ Li­gu­o­i (1696–1787) (Quan­no nas­cet­te Nin­no). Trans­lat­ed from Ita­li­an to Eng­lish by Hen­ry W. Long­fel­low (1807–1882), alt.

Music: W. F. Tay­lor, in Ca­rols Old and Ca­rols New, ed­it­ed by Charles L. Hutch­ins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 678 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Henry W. Longfellow (1807–1882)

Lyrics

When Christ was born in Bethlehem,
’Twas night, but seemed the noon of day;
The star whose light was pure and bright,
Was pure and bright,
Shone with unwavering rays;
But one bright star, one glo­ri­ous star
Guided the eastern magi from afar.

Then peace was spread throughout the land,
The lion fed beside the lamb;
And with the kid, to pastures led,
To pastures led, the spotted leopard fed;
In peace, in peace, the calf, the bear,
And wolf and lamb reposed together there.

As shepherds watched their flocks by night,
An angel brighter than the sun
Appeared in air, and gently said,
And gently said, Fear not, be not afraid.
Behold, behold, beneath your eyes
Earth has become a smiling paradise.