Ah! Lord God, The World's Creator

Words: Heu! quid jaces stabulo, by John Mauburn (15th Cent.),
an excerpt from the longer Eia mea anima.
Translated by George Ratcliffe Woodward
Melody and setting by J. G. Ebeling (1666)

Verses 2 and 3 may be sung to another Melody of Warum sollt' ich mich denn grämen, by D. Vetter, 1713, harmonized by J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Notes and Sources: George Ratcliffe Woodward, ed., The Cowley Carol Book For Christmas, Easter, and Ascensiontide, Second Series (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd, ca. 1919), Carol #83,
and George Radcliffe Woodward, ed., Songs of Syon (London: Schott & Co., Third Edition, 1908), # 32

1. Ah! Lord God, the world's Creator,
King of all,
Great or small,
Earth Regenerator:
Art thou cradled, art thou crying,
Swath'd and bound,
On the Ground,
In a stable lying?

2. Love of man hath brought me hither,
Cords of love,
From above,
To exalt him thither:
Dead in trespass, child, I sought thee,
Gone astray
From my way,
Life and pardon brought thee.

3. Empty be my scrip and coffer,
Yet 'tis wealth,
Plenty, health,
I am come to offer:
Hast I to enrich and dress thee:
Born to die,
Low I lie,
And would gladly bless thee.

4. Therefore thousand thousand praises
Are thy due,
Babe Jesu,
These my heart upraises:
Angels, mortals, furthest, nighest,
Sing in mirth,
"Peace on earth,
Glory in the highest!"

Sheet Music from George Ratcliffe Woodward, ed., The Cowley Carol Book For Christmas, Easter, and Ascensiontide, Second Series (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd, ca. 1919), Carol #83
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

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