Scripture Verse

Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. Luke 2:15

Introduction

Words: Bo­he­mi­an folk song (Ne­sem vám no­vi­ny). Trans­lat­ed from Bo­he­mi­an to Eng­lish by Ma­ri R. Ho­fer, 1912.

Music: Kom­met Ihr Hir­ten Bo­he­mi­an folk song (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Mari R. Hofer (1858–1929)

Lyrics

illustration
Adoration of the Shepherds
Michelangelo Caravaggio, 1609

Come, all ye shep­herds, ye child­ren of earth,
Come ye, bring greet­ings to yon hea­ven­ly birth.
For Christ the Lord to all men is giv­en,
To be our Sav­ior sent down from Hea­ven:
Come, wel­come Him!

Hasten then, hast­en to Beth­le­hem’s stall,
There to see Hea­ven des­cend to us all.
With ho­ly feel­ing, there hum­bly kneel­ing,
We will adore Him, bow down be­fore Him,
Worship the King.

Angels and shep­herds to­ge­ther we go
Seeking the Sav­ior from all earth­ly woe;
While an­gels, wing­ing, His praise are sing­ing,
Heaven’s ech­oes ring­ing, peace on earth bring­ing,
Good will to men.