’Tis Christ­mas night, the pure snow a flock un­num­bered lies;
The old Ju­de­an flocks aglow keep watch with­in the skies
An icy still­ness clos­er holds the puls­es of the breath­less night,
And all the Christ­mas night, the an­gel stars shine bright
For Beth­le­hem’s light, for Beth­le­hem’s light.

A mys­te­ry deep­er still folds the won­der­ing hosts of light,
Till, lo, with ho­ly re­ver­ence pale, that dims each dia­dem,
The lord­li­est earth­ward bend­ing, hail the liv­ing light of Beth­le­hem,
Glad Beth­le­hem’s liv­ing light, the ho­ly Christ­mas light,
Glad Beth­le­hem’s light, the liv­ing light.