1 God rest you1 merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day;
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.
R: O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
2 In Bethlehem, in Jewry,
This blessèd Babe was born,
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessèd morn:
To which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn.
R:
3 From God our Heavenly Father
A blessèd Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
R:
4 "Fear not then," said the Angel,
"Let nothing you affright.
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might."
R:
5 The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind
And went to Bethlehem straightway
This blessed Babe to find.
R:
6 But when to Bethlehem they came
Whereat this Infant lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray.
R:
7 Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
R:
Latin translation
1. O viri, este hiláres et bono ánimo.
Salvátor Christus natus est hoc témpore festo,
Ut nos errántes líberet summo perículo.
R. O lætíssimum núntium, lætíssimum,
O lætíssimum núntium.
2. De cælo Pater misit in terram Angelum,
Qui quosdam ad pastóres afférret núntium:
In Béthlehem natum esse ipsíus Fílium.
3. Quo cógnito pastóres, compléti gáudio,
Relíctis statim grégibus in imbre et in vento,
Appróperant in urbem viséndi stúdio.
4. Eo cum perveníssent, vidérunt párvulum
Cubántem in præsépio in fœno pecórum,
Dum mater nixa génibus adórat Dóminum.
5. Nunc collaudémus Dóminum omnes qui ádsumus,
Amóre vero inter nos dilécti pénitus.
Nam ómnium diérum hic est faustíssimus.
English text
Latin translation