Ad majorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem - for the greater glory of God and salvation of man.
Enjoy listening to Polish Christmas Carols. If you know Polish, then also think about the deep theological content of the texts, written frequently by genuine peasants. Fragments of some of them are translated into English, many more in German.
The Polish carols recall the historical event ( Matt. 1-Matt.2, Luke 2) as "the Word became flesh and lived among us". The world was not friendly for humans by then, it is not also today. But this shouldn't disturb our joy: "A joyful day is the day of birth of the Lord", "Joy comes over all people" because "Christ is being , who will liberate us", "this Jesus given us from Heaven will take us into the Heaven if only we love Him".
Polish Christmas carols are the cultural heritage of Europe because they tell the story of the beginning of what we now call western civilization.
Birth of Jesus Christ marks a new era in the history of mankind. The principle of love for truth is the underpinning of the technological, scientific, agricultural and cultural development of the last 2000 years. The principle of the love of the neighbor provided foundation for growth of human rights understanding and for development of modern democracies.
However, as soon as Europe loses its Christian foundations, it will lose its technological, scientific and agricultural power and the human rights will decay. These are not empty words. Just think of exploding unemployment and losses in competitiveness against US and Far East economies.
Europe has to sing Polish Christmas carols to return back to the path of Christian faith, growth, development and prosperity.
Listen carefully to the words of the Pope John Paul the Second!
subsequent text of unknown translator In a manger He is lying Who will greet Him as He sleeps? Baby Jesus, infant Christ-child, Who will greet Him as He sleeps? Wake, ye shepherds, and as ye play Gladsome songs and carols gay, Seek the Babe ere break of day; Angel hosts have sung their story, Who will follow the bright star? Told of Christ in all his glory, Who will follow the bright star? Wake, ye shepherds, and sing Noel, Help the angel chorus swell, To the earth glad tidings tell; In a stable, dark and dreary, Who will be the first to kneel? At the crib where Christ is sleeping, Who will be the first to kneel? Wake, ye shepherds, Seek out your King! Play your songs and loudly sing, Till the air with echoes ring;
subsequently a translation to English by Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed, 1925. Infant holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall; Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the Babe is Lord of all. Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing: Christ the Babe is Lord of all. Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a gospel true. Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow: Christ the Babe was born for you.
subsequently a translation to English by Walter Ehret, Date Unknown Jesus Holy, born so lowly, We will sing your carols gay. Jesus dearest, precious Infant, Come to us from Heav'n today. Shepherds, join the joyful chorus, Heavenly love is reining o'er us, Here appearing as a Babe. On the straw the Babe is sleeping, In the humble manger bed. May loving watch is keeping Angels hover 'round His head. Shepherds bow in adoration, Praising God's sweet benediction That upon the earth is shed.
day of joy for all creation Angel hosts are singing, cheering on the day of God's Son's bearing God's Son's bearing Listen to this unheard message. See: fulfilled is now the presage That a virgin gives birth to Son of Almighty God, the True One God, the True One , These are Angels calling you "Wake up, shepherds and go to little Jesus in the barn Saviour for whom all you yearn" Lo, Jesus, Lo Jesus, Lo our Lord. Let's welcome Eternal Mighty Word. Shining shadows over meadows Let us go with joy to Lord Following the angel's word Souls be happy hearing weep Of Crist lying in the crib Lo, Jesus, Lo Jesus, Lo our Lord. Let's welcome Eternal Mighty Word. , we came there, we herdsmen in the frost,in the frost violin, pipe bringing to play for the singing Angel hosts, Angel hosts Let's welcome our creator, our heavenly mediator Jesus child, Jesus child , raise heads without fright As God is born for you amid silent night Tonight two billion Christians let all the mankind know These words proclaimed by Angels two thousand years ago. Gloria, Gloria, Gloria – est in excelsis Deo Forgotten is Christmas by tipplers, therefore the devil is tempting "Drink one beer, drink more" Resist the devil, shepherds, don’t miss the chance to think Join Angels, worship Jesus, and never, never drink Gloria, Gloria, Gloria – est in excelsis Deo , wouldn`t lie on hay in dirty manger but on pillows made of finest velvet, No Herodes would bring you in danger. Were you born amid Kashubian people All would follow what God is commanding, Never drunk, and always loving neighbor, Every Sunday Holy Mass attending . All the mankind cheers. Angel hosts sing for Him glory and new star appears. Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo An ox and a donkey kneel at manger and they bow, As they recognized Creator in the Child they saw. Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo , why did you leave Heaven I would stay with your Father your Father there above forever Sing, play tender and mild for the Child, for the Child. Little Jesus, in Heaven, in Heaven You ate bread with honey. Here on earth you will hunger, will hunger Due to lack of money. Sing, play tender and mild for the Child, for the Child. , in Bethlehem's any tavern and you were born so poorly in a dirty, cold cavern. There was no place, though as Savior for mankind you were descended to break the bondage of devil the slavery to be ended. In vein you look for a shelter Amidst the drunken in taverns For these are the darkest places Where only the devil governs For the alcohol is killer of human love and compassion. Wherever it is the ruler Religion is in regression. , I look for you at night. Please shine on the sky above me. I`m longing for your light. Lead me to that secret stable Where Virgin her Son feeds, Who`s born to free us from devil. That`s what my soul just needs. He is no more in the stable, He is not in the crib. So where will we go to seek Him? Where shall we go on trip? He dwells among us in churches. We shall worship Him there, Believing in real presence, Praising Him everywhere. in Bethlehem for us folks and it opened gates of Heaven for us folks Born in stable in the fields for us folks His godly nature was concealed for us folks , The herdsmen contemplated “Today God’s born for thee The Saviour so awaited” “Today God’s born for thee The Saviour so awaited” ”See Ruler from above Whose palace is a stable His treasure is the love To which he’ll thee enable Jesus the Nazarene, he’ll be called by disciples for he will teach all them “Don’t eat nor drink with tipplers” for he will teach all them “Don’t eat nor drink with tipplers” , day of joy and jubilation All the birds fly singing, cheering on the day of God's Son's bearing God's Son's bearing Hear tenor Starling's in stable. Nightingale sings with his treble. Goldfinch assists him with alto; Dove sings in bass making salto What does teach this Christmas story? All shall give God righteous glory It's an example for the nation Of intrinsic adoration Adoration. Great is the name of the Lord Emmanuel are knocked at by the tidings Bells ring for Christ, born as foretold by writings The time has come for child to be delivered And love was born, and old world has hence shivered The little love will save the world Let us protect this love with care The earth is trembling as heaven does For the sake of this love Reject the sin, let's stop to play with evil, Do penance now to save the souls from devil. The time has come for child to be delivered And love was born, and old world has hence shivered right there on the sky, yes Let us welcome Jesus, Son of God the Highest Raise your hands above us, Spend us precious blessing We'll be singing for you, while your Mum's caressing: Out of joy and gladness we will be now singing On the towers of churches Bells will now be ringing All stars on sky glary All of us are merry Hey sing carols, sing carols. Hey sing carols, sing carols. Star lights up above us, it is of such beauty over sleeping meadows on the sky so sooty In the poorest stable Mother is caressing while Son raises his hands and spends us his blessing Gentle shepherds hurry, hurry to the stable To bow to Christ Jesus and to Holy Lady If your heart is wounded, if on face you've tears He consoles, spends graces, free you of your fears like birds from heaven to the tiny stable They were singing cheerful noels to Jesus the Baby They reported on the passage of the joyful message They reported on the passage of the joyful message Hear the tidings, have a reason For sanguinity, Virgin gave birth without losing Her virginity. for Babe Jesus in a cloud, in a cloud Angel hosts assisting Jesus sing aloud, sing aloud To wash our sins away God himself was born today in Bethlem, in Bethlem Ox and ass stand side by side at the crib, at the crib They are warming little person with the sheep, with the sheep Herdsmen gathered round the stable with their gifts, with their gifts Celebrating for the first time Christmas feast, Christmas feat. mankind suffered from malicious shadows. No hope was emerging Till amid Bethlehem's meadows God was born from Virgin God with us, let us sing the joyful song for the Child that we've waited for so long joyful song Shepherds in fields are awoken As the Angel's voice has spoken Peace on earth proclaiming Devil's power is now broken Merciful God's reigning We can't go ourselves to stable there to worship Christ the Baby. in this time of scourge. But to meet Him, we are able: Just go to His Church to the tiny manger where the new born Jesus sleeps Though He's born in poorness we have the asureness He protects this world and keeps Oh Savior, born from Virgin Mary conceived in chastity Where's your crown, where is your scepter? Where's your crown, where is your scepter, Godly Majesty God that rules the nature lies amid creatures and awaits human grace. He's God incarnated for the cross death fated to redeem the human race God, be prased for Your incarnation, For Your redeeming toll For rescuing man from condemnation For rescuing man from condemnation For saving human soul , Deep fog covers meadows, sheep Nowhere soldiers, no surveillance Only shepherds aren't asleep Only shepherds aren't asleep Out of sudden clouds are beaming Shepherds fall down on their knees Angel hosts are coming streaming While one of them's telling this: While one of them's telling this: "Dear Pastors, don't be frightened we are bringing you good news Hear these words to be enlightened. You must go so put on shoes You must go so put on shoes "Hurry to Bethlehem's manger Virgin bore a child therein. Son of God, Christ the world changer, Who'll defeat the death and sin" Who'll defeat the death and sin" , To make our lives make sense again He is God's Son, Logos, He's the Word That gives us joy, removes the pain. That's day of joy for the whole creation Look at the New Born, recognize, That little Jesus brings us salvation, opens the gates of Paradise Birds and animals, as one choir, Both sun and moon, both night and day, Angels from Heaven and the three Kings Everyone wants to praise you today. , In health and in sickness Working heavily and when resting In the joy and bleakness To be with you, Little Jesus Baby To be with you, In the famous stable To be just there Where one does not worry To be just there To sing song of glory Whatever the weather, When laughing, when crying And whatever is my burden Whatever I'm trying , The fate of ours Christ improved It's so amazing Let's go and praise Him in the crib Angels came flying and glorifying But whom, whom? Christ the Redeemer from evil schemer, God, the Lord. , I saw at my hut a sunlight Who knows if I was awake or nodding I thought that there is something exploding But the sun itself hasn't shown These were messengers from throne Of the Most High God, who has commanded That Christ in the stable should be attended , As the tidings were there spreading In the valley we were gazing as the sheep flocks went on grazing where the creek flows. You hear from the Skies a message of fulfillment of a presage You shall go to Bethlem city and sing little Jesus ditty with the angels God is born in little cavern, comes to world the sin has governed to make free us from the sinning to bring graciously redeeming for the mankind , , joyful and triumphant! O come ye, o come ye, to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;1 O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! God of God, Light of Light, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb. Very God, begotten not created; (refrain) Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation! Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God, glory in the highest!2 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesu, to Thee be glory given.3 Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle, leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze. We too will thither bend our hearts’ oblations;4 There shall we see Him, His eternal Father’s everlasting brightness now veiled under flesh. God shall we find there, a Babe in infant clothing; Child, for us sinners, poor and in the manger, we would embrace Thee, with love and awe. Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly? Lo! Star-led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring, offer Him frankincense, gold and myrrh.5 We to the Christ-child, bring our hearts oblations; , quod annuntiatum est per Gabriel, hodie apparuit, apparuit in Israel per Mariam virginem in Bethlehem. Eia, eia. Virgo Deum genuit sicut Divina voluit clementia. Gaudete, gaudete, Christus natus hodie, gaudete, gaudete, Christus natus hodie. Great is the name of the Lord Emmanuel as was announced by Gabriel today he appeared in Israel through the Mary virgin. A Virgin has borne God, As the divine mercy wished Be merry, be merry. Christ was born today. Be merry, be merry. Christ was born today. , From tender stem hath sprung. Of Jesse's lineage coming, As men of old have sung; It came, a flow'ret bright, Amid the cold of winter, When half spent was the night. Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind, With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind; To show God's love aright, She bore to men a Savior, When half spent was the night. O Flower, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air, Dispel with glorious splendour The darkness everywhere; True man, yet very God, From Sin and death now save us, And share our every load. , because I would like ask for favour Please lend me your bagpipe and horn and flute playing quaver I'm a singeress , I am Jesus' shepherdess I will play, for him play splendid tunes and pieces I will sway him, I'll make merry with the sweetest kisses , to welcome God who came so close As they heard Angels' foaming All the mankind informing They left their flocks and ran to see their God in barn They sang little Baby, born from our Lady lying in a manger You lie in a manger, my Lord, In swaddling clothes wrapped in hay. You left the holy throne, Barn with cattle is your home Before him all Angels fell on their faces, And sang "Holy, Holy, Holy is God of graces. Glory in the highest!" our Redeemer, given for us You are welcome, our Enlightening Little Baby, God Almighty You are welcome, Jesus, Jesus Welcome, Christ, awaited of old Welcome, Christ, by prophets foretold You're fulfillment of God's promise You bring mankind graceful solace Graceful solace, graceful solace lie in such a poorness? Not royally dressed, nor in splendor's fullness? To attain the liberation for the suffering creation, to be our Redemptor from the claws of tempter Why don't you serve Jesus? Why do you desire What the daemons tempt you? That's way to hell fire. See, Christ brings you benedictions, So abandon bad addictions, Rid house of alc leaven, Christ leads you to Heaven. , hear my story. Go and seek the Lord of Glory Jesus, born from Virgin Mary without any suffering Three Kings came on dromedaries And gave gifts that they have carried. Frankincense, mirth and gold donors Bowed before Christ with honors. , Welcome, King, Lord from above Christ, you are our solace, our solace You'll free from being lawless, being lawless, Free us from being lawless In the stable let's surround Christ, Angels' words let's resound: For His coming, for His birth, for His birth, For His coming, for His birth. , towards that shed. Everybody can hear clear Voices calling to seek here God on earth Step by step, go ahead Come on, lads, to this shed both employees and poor boors See Child Jesus, how He freezes. He is trembling out of coldness. Let's give clothes to the homeless God on earth. / follow the hallmark. Where they go? They seek Redeemer / who frees from schemer, from malicious devil Look at that crib, in / which someone's weeping. Who's therein? More than an Angel / lies in this manger. He is the God himself. , time of dark is over Reign of devil is now gone Angels cheer with drovers Jesus brought us through His birth the redemption, peace to earth We shall all be joyful We shall all be joyful At night donkey and the ox Are warming the Child Shepherds watching over flocks are playing so mild Come, oh Lord from heaven’s gates live among us, Gracious and establish peace on earth between all the nations Let all the sides of the world hear a joyful sound Let us be happy and glad this Christ Child around Lord is born you in town Bethlehem People run For these news stun Three Kings come on camels and dun Shepherds drove hearths into enclosures. They followed angelic disposure With trumpets, With violins They rushed towards Bethlehem's barn. Brothers Kashubs to barn are scurrying Angels are singing from heavenly steeple Pay homage, be joyful, Kashubian people In spite of the darkness and frosty weather Cashubian people are coming together. They kneel down and bow in front of the manger. They follow with joy the call of the angel.Matthew, the Evangelist, made a very interesting remark in the chapters describing the birth of Jesus Christ [Mt 2, 19 – 23]: the prophet said that the savior will be called Nazarene. And the Nazarene (or Nazirene - the written Hebrew had no vowels) was a name for the abstinent in the Old Testimony.
We are used to think of “Nazarene” as a citizen of Nazareth. But the Pilatus from Pont was called “Pontius Pilatus”. And Jesus Christ was condemned to death by him as “Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudeorum" [J 19, 19 – 20]. The abstinence of Jesus Christ was stressed also by refusing to drink wine when He was about to be crucified [Mt 27, 32 – 34].
Think of Christ’s abstinence from alcohol when singing Christmas carols. Think about the liberation of people He has brought. Think what you have sworn when being baptized: “I repudiate everything that leads to a sin so that the sin does not get power over me”, so you repudiated also alcohol.
By the way, Polish tradition forbids to drink alcohol on Christmas Eve.
Melodies of the majority of these Christmas Carols
can be listened to at the Web page
http://weselewesel.lap.pl/beatchen/svwiat_wokovlv_nas/gwara/koledy/PiesniRama.html?Sprache=poAngielsku