Come, O Faithful, With Sweet Voices

For Christmas

Words: Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade (c. 1711/2-1786), circa 1743/4

Translator: Charles Kent (1870-1883)
Other Translations: Adeste, Fideles Translations

Music: "Adeste fideles"
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Source: Orby Shipley, ed., Annus Sanctus: Hymns of the Church for the Ecclesiastical Year. Vol. 1. (London and New York: Burns and Oates, 1884), #38, p. 36.

See: Notes on Adeste Fideles

Come, O faithful, with sweet voices
Lift the song that heaven rejoices,
    Song to Bethlehem glory bringing:
Where the swathing-clothes enfold him,
King of angels, there behold him:
    Come, with thoughts to heaven upsoaring;
    Come, with lowly knees adoring;
        Come, angelic anthems singing.

God of God, in him there finding,
Light of Light, with glory blinding,
    These to Virgin sweetly clinging;
Come, in tender Babe beholding
Unbegotten might unfolding:
    Come, with thoughts to heaven upsoaring;
    Come, with lowly knees adoring;
        Come, angelic anthems singing.

Hark, angelic paens sounding
Fill heaven's vault with song astounding,
    Song sweet peace to earth now bringing:
Chant thou, 'Glory in the highest',
to the God for whom thou sighest:
    Come, with thoughts to heaven upsoaring;
    Come, with lowly knees adoring;
        Come, angelic anthems singing.

Therefore, on this feast of glory,
When on earth began his story,
    Round our Jesus praises ringing;
Sing to God in heaven paternal,
Sing the Word-made-flesh supernal:
    Come, with thoughts to heaven upsoaring;
    Come, with lowly knees adoring;
        Come, angelic anthems singing.

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