Translations. - A Song of Praise for the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Luther's Song-Book.)

Praised be thou, O Jesus Christ,
That a man on earth thou liest!
Born of a maiden--it is true--
In this exults the heavenly crew.
    Kyrioleis.[1]
[Footnote 1: (Greek) kurie elxaeson: Lord, have mercy.]

The Father's only son begot
In the manger has his cot,
In our poor dying flesh and blood
Doth mask itself the eternal Good.
    Kyrioleis.

Whom all the world could not enwrap
Lieth he in Mary's lap;
A little child he now is grown
Who everything upholds alone.
    Kyrioleis.

In him the eternal light breaks through,
Gives the world a glory new;
A great light shines amid the night,
And makes us children of the light.
    Kyrioleis.

The Father's son, so God his name,
A guest into this world he came;
And leads us from the vale of tears:
He in his palace make us heirs.
    Kyrioleis.

Poor to the earth he cometh thus,
Pity so to take on us;
And makes us rich in heaven above,
And like the angels of his love.
    Kyrioleis.

All this for us hath Jesus done,
And his great love to us hath shown:
Let Christendom rejoice therefore,
And give him thanks for evermore!
    Kyrioleis.