When Judah's Loyal Soul
For Christmas
Words: Een kint
gheboren in Bethlehem, Dutch Carol of the 15th Century,
a Middle Dutch translation of the familiar Latin Carol
Puer Natus in
Bethlehem
Words translated by the Rev. John O'Connor
Music: Traditional Dutch Carol
Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #113, p. 8.
1. When Judah's loyal
soul alone
Kept covenant before the throne,
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
2. When lowly as the
dust lay down
Both David's line and
David's crown,
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
3. A virgin came to
Bethlehem,
The maiden flower of Jesse's stem.
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
4. She bore a Child to
Heaven's Sire,
The shepherds heard the angels' choir.
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
5. And Orient kings
that Child adored,
For David's Son is David's Lord.
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
6. He crowns the
stable and the stall
For He is come to crown us all,
Amor, amor, amor, amor,
Amor quam dulcis est amor!
Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #113, p. 8.
Note:
There are eleven stanzas in the original. They are a Middle Dutch translation of the familiar Latin Carol Puer Natus in Bethlehem. As these words also belong to carol #149 in the Praetorius section in this book, the above paraphrase is given for the sake of variety.
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