Let the whole world be told
How the wise men of old,
Let from far by a star,
Rarest gifts possessing,
Gave them for their blessing.
Of the Child, Child, Child,
Of the Child, Child, Child,
Of the Child, Christmas born,
Love of God confessing.

On that night clear and still
Shepherd's came from the hill,
Humble men, born again,
To the village bringing,
Tales of angels singing,
Of the Child, Child, Child,
Of the Child, Child, Child,
Of the Child, Christmas born,
Love of Heaven bringing.

Golden sun rising high,
Through the grace of that sky,
Gave its light, radiant bright,
To the new world's glory.
In the Christmas story.
For the Wise Man's Child,
And the Shepherd's Child,
Is the Child, ever born,
God's eternal glory.



abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1970, BBC Publications

Notes:
The booklet acknowleges the melody as coming from Piae Cantiones, 1582. The words were specially written by John Edwards.

The Oxford Book of Carols gives the Latin hymn "Personet Hodie" a date of 1360, to an arrangement by Gustav Holst of this melody. The lyrics of "Personet Hodie" are as follows:

Personet Hodie,
Voces puerulae,
Laudantes jucunde
Qui nobis est natum
Summo Deo datus,
Et de vir-, vir-, vir-,
Et de vir-, vir-, vir-,
Et de virgineo ventre procreatus.

In mundo nascitur,
Pannis involvitur,
Praesepi ponitur
Stabulo brutorum,
Rector supernorum,
Perdidit, -dit, -dit,
Perdidit, -dit, -dit,
Perdidit spolia princips infernorum.

Magi tres venerunt,
Parvulum inquirunt,
Parvulum inquirunt,
Stellulam sequendo,
Ipsum adorando,
Aurum, thus, thus, thus,
Aurum, thus, thus, thus,
Aurum, thus, et myrrham ei offerrendo.

Omnes clericuli,
Pariter pueri,
Cantentut angeli:
Advenisti mundo
Laudes tibi fundo.
Ideo, -o, -o,
Ideo, -o, -o,
Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo!


Helpfully, they also provide this translation, which is much closer to the Latin above than the "Singing Together" version. It is not a literal translation, but is about a close as is possible given the requirement to match the melody:

Sing aloud on this day,
Children all raise the lay,
Cheerfully we and they,
Hasten to adore thee,
Sent from highest glory.
For us born, born, born,
For us born, born, born,
For us born, on this morn,
Of the Virgin Mary.

Now a child, he is born,
Swathing bands him adorn,
Manger bed, he'll not scorn,
Ox and ass are near him;
We as Lord revere him,
And the vain, vain, vain,
And the vain, vain, vain,
And the vain powers of hell,
Spoiled of prey now fear him.


From the far Orient
Guiding star wise men sent;
Him to seek their intent,
Lord of all creation;
Kneel in adoration.
Gifts of gold, gold, gold,
Gifts of gold, gold, gold,
Gifts of gold, frankincense,
Myrrh for their oblation.

All must join him in praise;
Men and boys voices raise
On this day of all days;
Angel voices ringing,
Christmas tidings bringing.
Join we all, all, all,
Join we all, all, all,
Join we all, Gloria
In excelsis singing.


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