O Little Town off Bethlehem is a Christian song of English language written in 1868 by Philips Brooks, celebrates American minister protesting, following a pilgrimage in Holy Land in 1865. Lewis R. Redner, her friend, composed the melody on her Orgue with the Veille of Noēl, and she was sung for the first time the day following by a chorus of thirty-six schoolboys and six catéchètes. It is a very known Chanson of Noēl which eloquently sings the Naissance of Christ to Bethlehem near the Virgin Mary. She was interpreted by artists of reputation like Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Garth Brooks and Jewel.

Words of the song

English

O little town off Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears off all the years
Are puts in thee tonight

For Christ is born off Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch off wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men one earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings off His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
Goal in this world off sin,
Where meek drunk will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child off Bethlehem
Descends to custom, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to custom today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O like to custom, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

It exists there also a French version:

French

Small town, Bethlehem, you sleep quietly
On your sleep, the gold star rises to the firmament.
Its eternal light brings the Joie to us.
Yes, the answer to our calls, this evening is in you.

Because Jesus of Marie was born, and while all sleeps,
The Ange S up there assembled sing their soft agreements.
Proclaim its birth, stars of the Matin!
Bringing the Peace and the love, here the divine Child.

Ah! how it was simply given this marvellous present!
Thus God blesses the human ones in their opening the skies.
No one does not hear its arrival in this sinning world.
But Jesus enters, welcome, in the humblest hearts.

External bond

To listen to the song

Random links:

Senecio adenotrichius | List military catastrophes | Jacques Allard | Alphonse Piché | Ale (river)