Dost Thou In A Manger Lie?

For Christmas

Words: Heu! quid jaces stabulo, Jean Mauburn (1460-1502), from Rosetum exercitiorum spiritualium et sacrarum meditationum, 1494,
an excerpt, Verses 4, 5, & 6, of Eia mea anima;
Translation: Elizabeth Rundle Charles, 1868.

Music: "Mauburn," Thomas Tertius Noble, 1918
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML

1. Dost Thou in a manger lie,
    Who hast all created,
Stretching infant hands on high,
    Savior, long awaited?
If a monarch, where Thy state?
Where Thy court on Thee to wait?
    Royal purple where?
Here no regal pomp we see;
Naught but need and penury;
    Why thus cradled here?

2. "Pitying love for fallen man
    Brought Me down thus low...
For a race deep lost in sin,
    Came I into woe...¹
By this lowly birth of Mine,
Sinner riches shall be thine,²
    Matchless gifts and free;
Willingly this yoke I take,
And this sacrifice I make,
    Heaping joys for thee."

3. Fervent praise would I to Thee
    Evermore be raising;
For Thy wondrous love to me
    Thee be ever praising.³
Glory, glory be forever⁴
Unto that most bounteous Giver,⁵
    And that loving Lord!⁶
Better witness to Thy worth,
Purer praise than ours on earth,
    Angels' songs afford.

Notes:

1. Or: Might all be forgiven. Return

2. Or: Countless riches shall be thine. Return

3. Or: Praising, praising, praising. Return

4. Or: Glory, glory, be for aye. Return

5. Or: Unto Thee, O God most High. Return

6. Or: Thee, our living Lord! Return

Sheet Music by G. M. Garrett from J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #55, pp. 86-7.

Words: "Trench's Sacred Latin Poetry."
Translation: "Slightly altered from E. Charles.
From 'The Hymnary.'"

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