The shadows of cold night covered the world
and deep sleep held men oppressed with worry.
Shepherds of Judea were watching their sheep. And
behold, the angel of the Lord stood by them,
and the brightness of the Lord shone round them,
and they were afraid. And the angel said to them:
Fear not, shepherds. For behold I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born today your Saviour, Christ
the Lord, in the city of David; and this shall be
a sign unto you: you shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. Rise, shepherds,
hurry, go to Bethlehem and worship him.
Let us rise, let us hurry, let us hasten, let us go
to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass,
which the Lord has made known to us.
And the shepherds went and came to the place where
the boy was, and entering the house they found Mary
and Joseph and the child wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.
And kneeling they worshipped him in uncultured but
devout song, saying:
Hail, little boy,
Hail, tender little one,
O tiny baby,
How good you are!
You have left heaven,
You are born on the earth,
To make yourself the same
As wretched us.
O greatest good,
Highest deity
Has become today
Common humanity.
The eternal is born,
The immense is encompassed,
And is concealed
In the cloak of matter.
Virgin child-bearer,
Blessed womb,
Through the work of God
They give a son.
Rejoice, flower of virgins,
Rejoice, hope of mankind,
Fountain washing
The slurry of sin.
Charpentier: Music for the Virgin Mary
