Noel | The night descends from the height of the skies

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Victor Wilder (1835 - 1892)

Translation © by Garrett Medlock

Noël

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: CAT ENG ENG

La nuit descend du haut des cieux,
Le givre au toit suspend ses franges.
Et, dans les airs, le vol des anges
Éveille un bruit mystérieux.

L'étoile qui guidait les mages,
S'arrête enfin dans les nuages,
Et fait briller un nimbe d'or
Sur la chaumiére où Jésus dort.

Alors, ouvrant ses yeux divins,
L'enfant couché, dans l'humble crèche,
De son berceau de paille fraîche,
Sourit aux nobles pélérins.

Eux, s'inclinant, lui disent : Sire,
Reçois l'encens, l'or et la myrrhe, 
Et laisse-nous, ô doux Jésus,
Baiser le bout de tes pieds nus.

Comme eux, ô peuple, incline-toi,
Imite leur pieux exemple,
Car cette étable, c'est un temple,
Et cet enfant sera ton roi !

Text Authorship:

by Victor Wilder (1835 - 1892) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924), "Noël", op. 43 no. 1 (1886), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Éd. Heugel [sung text checked 1 time]
by Jeanne Emilie Virginie Vignery (1913 - 1974), as Jane Vignery, "Noël" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Nadal", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (M. Ryan Taylor) , "Noel", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "Noel", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 112

Noel

Language: English after the French (Français)

The night descends from the height of the skies,
The frost on the roof suspends its fringes.
And, in the air, the flight of the angels
Awakes a mysterious noise.

The star which guided the magi
Halts at last in the clouds
And shines a golden nimbus
On the cottage where Jesus sleeps.

Then, opening his divine eyes,
The child lying in the humble crib,
A cradle of fresh straw,
Smiles to the noble pilgrims.

Bowing, they say to him: Lord,
Receive this incense, gold, and myrrh,
And let us, oh gentle Jesus,
Kiss the bottom of your feet.

Like them, oh people, bow yourselves,
Follow their pious example,
Because this stable is a temple,
And this child will be your king!

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2018 by Garrett Medlock, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in French (Français) by Victor Wilder (1835 - 1892)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2018-12-05
Line count: 20
Word count: 122