Читать книгу Best Loved Christmas Carols, Readings and Poetry - Martin Manser - Страница 24

John Byrom, a scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, wrote this popular Christmas hymn in 1749 in response to a request from his young daughter, Dolly, for an unusual Christmas present. She was delighted when she came down to breakfast on Christmas Day that year to find a scroll bearing the poem at her place. The lines were subsequently set to music by John Wainwright (c.1723–68), the organist at Stockport Parish Church, who directed the choir that sang it outside Byrom’s house on Christmas morning 1750.

Christians, awake! Salute the happy morn

Whereon the Saviour of the World was born!

Rise to adore the mystery of love,

Which hosts of angels chanted from above;

With them the joyful tidings first begun

Of God incarnate and the Virgin’s Son.

Unto the watchful shepherds it was told,

Who heard the angelic herald’s voice: ‘Behold!

I bring good tidings of a Saviour’s birth

To you and all the nations of the earth:

This day hath God fulfilled his promised word,

This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord!

‘In David’s city, shepherds, ye shall find

The long-foretold Redeemer of mankind;

Joseph and Mary, in a stable there,

Guard the sole object of the Almighty’s care;

Wrapped up in swaddling-clothes, the Babe divine

Lies in a manger: this shall be your sign.’

He spake, and straightway the celestial choir

In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire.

The praises of redeeming love they sung,

And heaven’s whole orb with Hallelujahs rung;

God’s highest glory was their anthem still,

Peace on the earth, and mutual good will.

To Bethlehem straight the enlightened shepherds ran

To see the wonder God hath wrought for man,

And found, with Joseph and the blessed Maid,

Her Son, the Saviour, in a manger laid:

To human eyes none present but they two,

Where heaven was pointing its concentred view.

Amazed, the wondrous story they proclaim,

The first apostles of his infant fame;

While Mary keeps and ponders in her heart

The heavenly vision which the swains impart,

They to their flocks, still praising God, return,

And their glad hearts within their bosoms burn.

Let us, like these good shepherds, then, employ

Our grateful voices to proclaim the joy;

Like Mary, let us ponder in our mind

God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind:

Artless and watchful as these favoured swains,

While virgin meekness in our heart remains.

Trace we the Babe, who has retrieved our loss,

From his poor manger to his bitter Cross,

Treading his steps, assisted by his grace,

Till man’s first heavenly state again takes place,

And, in fulfilment of the Father’s will,

The place of Satan’s fallen host we fill.

Then may we hope, the angelic thrones among,

To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song.

He that was born upon this joyful day

Around us all his glory shall display;

Save by his love, incessant we shall sing

Of angels and of angel-men the King.

John Byrom (1692–1763)