"O Holy Night"


"O holy night! The stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth..."


This has been my favorite Christmas carol ever since I was a teenager.

When I was in the Skowhegan high school, our band accompanied the director's wife as she sang this song. She had such a powerful voice that she didn't need a microphone and we were told not too hold back. It was so majestic and beautiful that I got choked up and had a hard time playing my flute.




Later, when I taught French in our Christian school, I saw the original French words. I fell in love with this song even more. The French words have SO MUCH more meaning! They tell more of God's plan to redeem us and how we are to praise Him for our salvation.


Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle,
Où l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance
En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.

(At midnight, Christians, it's the solemn hour,
When the God-man descended to us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Savior.)

Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance.
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur !

(People, on your knees, waiting for your deliverance.
God is born, God is born, here is the Redeemer,
God is born, God is born, here is the Redeemer !)

Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave :
La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert.
Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave,
L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.
Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance,
C'est pour nous tous qu'Il naît,
Qu'Il souffre et meurt.

(The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:
The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
He sees a brother where there was only a slave.
Love unites those who surround the fire.
Who will tell Him of our gratitude.
It's for all of us that He was born,
That He suffered and died.)

Peuple debout ! Chante ta délivrance,
Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur,
Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur !

(People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,
God is born, God is born, Let us sing of the Redeemer,
God is born, God is born, Let us sing of the Redeemer!)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful words. Thanks. Sunny

Unknown said...

What beautiful words!

I was surprised to read where you went to high schoool. My husband's mother's family is from Skowhegan, Maine. It really is a small world!

LauraLee Shaw said...

Awesome, one of my favs too, Vonnie~

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails