Be Silent Heaven! Be Silent Earth!

For Christmas

Words: Silence ciel! Silence terre! from Dictionnaire de Noels.

English Tr. by K. W. Simpson.

Melody: Dictionnaire de Noels.

Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #42, pp. 6-7.

1. Be silent Heav'n! Be silent Earth!
Oh still your Voices in amaze!
For lo! This is the Day of Days:
Uplift your voices, ye who love Him!
O sing ye all mirth!
Thy praises, ringing, approve Him!
For all the Earth (happy this day!)
Is His alone, alway! alway!

2. At Midnight hour, a Mother Maid
Did bring this lovely shining Star!
Lo! All men seek Him from afar,
'Tis God the Father lowly lieth!
A King, so humbly laid!
Who, ever conquering, crieth:
That all the Earth (happy this day!)
Is His alone alway, alway!

3. A Manger dim His Palace fair!
His gentle Courtiers are the Kine!
And humbly by the Babe Divine
They guard His Pallet poor and Holy.
He chose, who lieth there,
To come in poverty lowly,
Though all the Earth (happy this day!)
Is His alone alway, alway!

4. Come all away, with happy song,
And find sweet Jesu where He lies!
Sing loud your joyful Melodies
Uplift your voices, we have found Him!
Come join the happy throng!
Lay tender offerings round Him!
For all the Earth (happy this day!)
Is His alone alway, alway!

Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #42, pp. 6-7.

Note by Rev. Terry:

The present barring (compound duple time) is that adopted in all Continental editions. I have therefore retained it, but singers should be warned that their accentuation must be decided by the words and not by the bar lines. [Ed.]

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