Silent night

Representative Text

Version One -
1 Silent night, holy night;
sleeps the world; hid from sight,
Mary and Joseph in stable bare
watch o'er the child belovèd and fair
sleeping in heavenly rest.

2 Silent night, holy night;
shepherds first saw the light,
heard resounding clear and long,
far and near, the angel-song:
'Christ the Redeemer is here!'

3 Silent night, holy night:
Son of God, O how bright
love is smiling from thy face;
strikes for us now the hour of grace,
Saviour, since thou art born!

Version Two -
1 Silent night, holy night.
All is calm, all is bright,
round yon virgin mother and child;
holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace.

2 Silent night, holy night.
Shepherds quake at the sight,
glories stream from heaven afar,
heav'nly hosts sing alleluia:
Christ the Saviour is born.

3 Silent night, holy night.
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Source: Common Praise: A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern #69a

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Author: Joseph Mohr

Joseph Mohr was born into a humble family–his mother was a seamstress and his father, an army musketeer. A choirboy in Salzburg Cathedral as a youth, Mohr studied at Salzburg University and was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church in 1815. Mohr was a priest in various churches near Salzburg, including St. Nicholas Church. He spent his later years in Hintersee and Wagrein. Bert Polman… Go to person page >

Translator: Stopford A. Brooke

Brooke, Stopford Augustus, M.A., was born at Letterkenny, Donegal, Nov. 14, 1832, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A. 1856; M.A. 1858. He carried off the Downes prize and the Vice-Chancellor's prize for English verse. On taking Holy Orders he was successively Curate of St. Matthew's, Marylebone, 1857-59; of Kensington, 1860-63; Chaplain to the British Embassy at Berlin, 1863-65; Minister of St. James's Chapel, York Street, London, 1866-75; and of Bedford Chapel, 1876. He was also appointed Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen, in 1872. In 1865 he published the Life and Letters of the late F. W. Robertson; in 1874, Theology in the English Poets; in 1876, Primer of English Literature, &c. On seceding from the Church of Engla… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: Silent night! holy night! Sleeps the world; hid from sight
Title: Silent night
Author: Joseph Mohr
Translator: Stopford A. Brooke
Meter: Irregular
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Tune

STILLE NACHT

Although he composed nearly one hundred works, Franz Gruber is remembered for only one–the tune of "Silent Night," composed on Christmas Eve, 1818. He scored the tune for tenor and bass soli (sung by Mohr and Gruber on that night) with the final phrase to be repeated in harmony (sung by the villag…

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Timeline

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Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)
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Common Praise #69a

Common Praise #69a
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Complete Mission Praise #597

Complete Mission Praise #597
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