The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Now With Gladness Carol We

Resonet in laudibus

For Christmas

Latin words and melody from Piæ Cantiones, 1582.
English Translation by the Rev. Ronald Knox.

Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #165, pp. 12-13.

 

1. Now with gladness carol we,
With the voice of jubilee,
Sion and her children free;
Rejoice, thou earth, for all this birth doth bring thee!

1. Resonet in laudibus
Cum jucundis plausibus
Sion cum fidelibus:
Apparuit quem genuit Maria!

2. Christ is born this festival,
Of a mother virginal;
Father no man may He call.
Rejoice, thou earth, for all this birth doth bring thee!

2. Christus natus hodie
Ex Maria Virgine
Sine virili semine:
Apparuit quem genuit Maria!

3. Up, ye choristers, and bring
praises to your little King;
In His name devoutly sing:
Rejoice, thou earth, for all this birth doth bring thee!

3. Pueri, concinite,
Nato Regi psallite,
Voce pia dicite:
Apparuit quem genuit Maria!

4. Sion, of thy loyality,
Praise this Saviour's royality,
Who hath brought us liberty.
Rejoice, thou earth, for all this birth doth bring thee!

4. Sion, lauda Dominum,
Salvatorem hominum,
Purgatorem criminum:
Apparuit quem genuit Maria!

5. True is all that God foretold by Gabriel; Sing we, Sing we!
Virgin Mother, God made Man, so hath His eternal plan fore-ordered;
On this day He came to us, He came to us in Israel,
Out of Mary's Maidenhood a King is born.

5. Sunt impleta quae praedixit Gabriel. Eya! Eya!
Eya, Eya. Virgo Deum genuit,
Quem divina voluit clementia.
Hodie apparuit, apparuit in Israel,
Ex Maria virgine est natus Rex.

 

Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #165, pp. 12-13.

165a-Now_With_Gladness.jpg (124730 bytes) 165b-Now_With_Gladness.jpg (83453 bytes)

Note from Rev. Terry:

This carol – supposed to date from the 13th century – was known all over Europe, and became especially popular in Germany, where the melody is now universally known to the words Joseph lieber Joseph mein; sometimes also as Wir loben all' das Kindelein. It has achieved equal popularity in England to Neale's words Christ was born on Christmas day, but as they are not a translation of the original, the present version (which follows the Latin text) has been supplied.

Note:

There are several versions of the Latin carol on the website:

John Mason Neale's “translation” is Christ Was Born On Christmas Day. A single copy of Piæ Cantiones found its way into the hands of Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. Thomas Helmore in 1853, and from this exceptionally rare volume an immense amount of music was saved from oblivion. For more information, see Piæ Cantiones.

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