One of my (the wife's) favorite Christmas songs is the one we Americans call "O Holy Night."
While the English version is beautiful, and please don't misunderstand, it's just not as gorgeous in its meaning as the original French version.
Yep, for those who did not know, "O Holy Night" is a French hymn,
and it's true name is "Hymn of Christmas."
I am amazed at how much information about the Savior the author was able to squeeze into this beautiful three versed song. I have often wished there was a more literal translation of its text, and ever since I started learning French I have been working on one. I am posting this translation today not only in the hopes of fostering in others a love for the original text, but to convey my testimony of and gratitude for the Savior during this wonderful season.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Cantique de Noël
1st Verse, Français:
Minuit,
chrétiens, c’est l’heure solennelle
Où l’Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu’à nous,
Pour effacer la tache originelle,
Et de son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance,
À cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple, à genoux, attends ta délivrance
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Anglais:
Midnight,
Christians, this is the solemn hour
When the Man
of God descends unto us,
For to erase
the original stain,
And, of his
Father, to stop the wrath.
The entire
world thrills of hope,
To this
night which makes of him a Savior.
People, to a
knee, behold your deliverance.
Birth Night!
Birth Night! See here the Redeemer!
Birth Night!
Birth Night! See here the Redeemer!
2nd Verse, Français:
De notre foi
que la lumière ardente
Nous guide tous au berceau de l’Enfant,
Comme autrefois une étoile brillante
Y conduisit les chefs de l’Orient.
Le Roi des rois naît dans une humble crèche;
Puissants du jour, fiers de votre grandeur,
À votre orgueil, c’est de là que Dieu prêche.
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
Anglais:
Our faith is
like an ardent light,
Our guide to
the cradle of the Infant,
Just as in a
time past a brilliant star
Conducted
the Chiefs of the East.
The King of
kings born in a humble crib;
The powerful
of the day, proud of your grandeur,
To your
pride, this is when God preaches.
Bow your
brows before the Redeemer!
Bow your
brows before the Redeemer!
3rd Verse, Français:
Le
Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave,
La Terre est libre et le Ciel est ouvert.
Il voit un frère où n’était qu’un esclave,
L’amour unit ceux qu’enchaînait le fer.
Qui lui dira notre reconnaissance?
C’est pour nous tous qu’il naît, qu’il souffre et meurt.
Peuple, debout! Chante ta délivrance.
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
Anglais:
The Redeemer
broke all obstructions,
The earth is
free and the heaven is open.
He sees a
brother where there was not a slave,
His love
unites those that had linked the iron.
Who will tell him of our grateful
recognition?
T’is for us all that he was born, that he
suffered and died.
People, stand! Sing your deliverance.
Birth Night! Birth Night! We’ll sing the
Redemeer!
Birth Night! Birth Night! We’ll sing the
Redemeer!
Where did this cardboard come from?
This year the wife decided to give carving a real-life image a try using a picture of the two peas themselves.
