Nativity of Christ

Vladimir Borovikovsky - Nativity of Christ (19th Century)

The little child Jesus is already here

The Kings and the shepherds adore without fear

There is much to behold for the wise and the fool:

Saint Joseph, the Virgin; the ox and the mule.

Let us adore the little child

With pleasure and happy cheer;

Let us adore as the Magi do

As the Magi adore Him here.

A child is born in Bethlehem;

Rejoice, therefore, Jerusalem.

Low in the manger lieth He,

Whose kingdom without end shall be...

All glory, Lord, to Thee be done,

Now seen in flesh, the Virgin's Son.[35]

Thou camest down, O heaven's King,

From starry sky,

And in a cave so poor and cold

I see Thee lie.

I see Thee tremble, blessed God;

Why should this be?

Thy sacrifice, O love Divine,

Is all for me.

About the field they piped full right,

Even about the midst of the night;

They saw come down from heaven a light:

Tirle, tirle--so merrily

The shepherds began to blow.[37]

Noel, Noel, Noel,

Tidings good I think to tell.

The boar's head that we bring here,

Betokeneth a prince without peer

Is born today to buy us dear.

Noel, Noel, Noel.

In dulci jubilo

Sing ye, and gladness show!

See our bliss reclining

In praesepio,

The very sun outshining

Matris in gremio.

Alpha es et O,

Alpha es et O.

Thy shining eyes, so blue and light,

Thy tender cheeks, so soft and bright;

I will remain forever Thine,

O dearest Son, O child Divine....

Hajej, nynej, Jesus dear,

Sleep in peace, and do not fear.

We shall bundle you to rest,

Keep you close to our breast.

Hajej, nynej, darling Child,

Son of Mary, Saviour mild.

As Joseph was a-walking,

He heard an angel sing:

This night shall be born

Our heavenly king.

He neither shall be born

In housen or in hall,

Nor in the place of Paradise,

But in an ox's stall.

He neither shall be clothed

In purple nor in pall,

But all in fair linen,

As were babies all..

The gates of Heaven's glory did spring open suddenly

So came we running to the crib,

I and also you,

A beeline into Bethlehem, Hopsa, trala loo:

"O, baby dear, take anything

Of all the little gifts we bring:

Have apples or have butter,

Maybe pears or yellow cheese;

Or would you rather have some nuts,

Or plums, or what you please.

Alleluja, alleluja;

AIle-, alle-, Alleluja."[44]

Now Christmas is here again,

And Christmas is here again,

And Christmas we'll have till Easter.

Then Easter is here again,

And Easter is here again,

And Easter we'll have till Christmas.

Now He is with us forever,

And He is with us forever,

For He is here now and comes again.

Joseph, dearest Joseph mine,

Help me rock my baby fine!

What Gabriel foretold

Is now fulfilled,

Eia, Eia,

The Virgin bore a child

As the Father's wisdom willed.

Eia, Eia.

Joseph, dearest Joseph mine,

Help me rock my baby fine!

The blessed light of Saints above,

Sweet hope of mortals here below,

Art thou, O Jesu, who the love

Of human home and hearth didst know.

O Mary, thou art full of grace,

Who careth for Jesus with tender love,

And kissed his blessed, smiling face

Whilst in thine arms he took his rest.

O Joseph, thou of all our race

Elected wast to guard the fame

Of Mary, Virgin full of grace,

And give her Son a father's name.

O Mary! Joseph! holy twain

From Jesse's root and David's seed,

Who ushered in salvation's reign,

Help all who at Christ's altars plead.

The sun declineth towards the west,

And dusk of night is drawing near,

O take to God the heart's behest

Of each and all who linger here.

Sweet home of Nazareth, in thee

All grace and virtue can we see;

Lord, grant each Christian home to be,

Like thine, a holy family.

Praise God, who served, whilst here on earth,

Joseph, and her who gave him birth; .

Whom with the Father, we adore,

And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

Hymn for the Nativity

Sons of men, do you truly speak of justice? Dwellers on the earth,
do you truly judge with fairness?
We confess with unshakable faith
that God, who was made man
and who was given birth by a Virgin.
Before all time he was begotten.
of an immeasurable Father;
now we adore him who became incarnate
in a Virgin’s womb.
He is the creator of all,
himself remaining invisible and distinct from creation.
So we are able to say:
in you, Lord, is clemency; glory be to you.
O Holy God,
you have deigned to be born, a tiny child, from a Virgin.
O God, holy and strong,
you have willed to rest in the arms of Mary.
O God, holy and immortal,
you have come to rescue Adam from hell.
O immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, full of grace,
Emmanuel, whom you have carried,
is the fruit of your womb.
In your maternal bosom you have nourished all men.
You are above all praise and all glory.
Hail, Mother of God, joy of the angels.
The fullness of your grace
goes beyond what the prophets foretold.
The Lord is with you,
you have given birth
to the Saviour of the world.

Fragment from an ancient eucharistic liturgy