Scripture Verse

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11–12

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Re­nais­sance ca­rol (🔊 pdf nwc). Trans­lat­ed from French to Eng­lish by E. Cuth­bert Nunn (1868–1914).

Alt­er­nate arr­ange­ment, by Mi­chael Lon­ne­ke, 2004 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Nunn (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Bring a torch, come swiftly and run.
Christ is born, tell the folk of the village,
Jesus is sleeping in His cradle,
Ah, ah, beautiful is the mother,
Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son.

Hasten now, good folk of the village,
Hasten now, the Christ Child to see.
You will find Him asleep in a manger,
Quietly come and whisper softly,
Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers,
Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps.

illustration
The Birth of Christ
Carl H. Bloch
1834–1890