Song of the Nativity of Jesus Christ
O NEW Song, of heavenly strain,Man's lamenting Thou hast slain,Raised him from his misery.
In a piercing major key,Yet with soft timidity,Sweetest singing charms the ear;Now ensues a minor strain,Gently floating down again,Sweeter still, and still more clear.Such a descant, pure and keen,Never sure was heard or seen,So divine in harmony.
And the Singers, glad and fair,Making in the wintry air,Strains so sweet, and so sonorous,—Ah, the blessèd Angels they,Chanting thus in parts their lay,Singing in a varied chorus,To the Babe, th' Incarnate Word ;And the little Babe hath heard,Lovely in His Infancy.
Music fills the midnight sky"Glory be to God on high!"Say the voices resonant." And on earth there shall be peace,"Strife shall die and wars shall cease,All the world be jubilant!"Then together let us sing,Laud and honour to our King,Christ, adored and blest is He.
On an earthly parchment writIs this music infinite,Blazoned firm, and fair, and clear.We who stand on earth-bound feet,We may claim this music sweet,If we listen, we may hear.God's own hand the scroll hath given,For He writes the notes in heaven,Teacheth us the melody.—
There, where Love the heart hath stirred,There that singing shall be heard,Faith shall hear it and shall know.For God's great Divinity,In its wondrous Majesty,Is incarnate here below.Hence comes Hope, both fair and true,Lifts our hearts to God anew,Gives us courage joyously.
He that enters at this door,He shall hear for evermore,Songs of love within his heart:To God's image he aspires,Of the Beauty he desires,He shall now become a part.Like the heavenly seraphim,Love shall flame so high in him,He shall gain divinity.
Hark! the first nocturn is givenTo the valiant troop from heaven,To the noble martyr band:Stephen singing at their head,Risen from his stony bed,And his comrades round him stand.Jesus Christ their life doth give,Grafted in His Stem they live,Red Pomegranate flower is He.
The Confessors following,Do the second nocturn sing,On their voices it is borne ;And the great Evangelist,He must be their rhapsodist,For His words their notes adorn,Treble notes, and clearer farThis their strain, than others are,—Rare it is in harmony.
Next the Innocents are heard,For their nocturn is the third;Sweetly do they take their part.They around the Holy Child,Ages-long have knelt and smiled,Sweet companions for His Heart."Christ is born," their voices say ;"Jesus Christ is born to-day,Praise, O God, we sing to Thee!"
O ye sinners, erring throng,Serving evil lords so long,Come and hail this Infant Birth!Come, and make a joyful sound ;God with Man henceforth is found,He is come to dwell on earth.As a Little Boy He's here;Long-desired, we hold Him dear ;Very precious shall He be.
Erring men, on evil bent,He hath called you to repent,Come to Him in penitence.Penitence your hearts shall stay,Driving every sin away,Purging heart, and soul, and sense.Verily the humble mindPenitent, the truth shall find,Blessedness and piety.
Humble men, and innocent,Upright men, and diligent,Come before Him, come and sing.Let Him not in vain entreat,Come and kneel before His feet,Giving glory to your King.Ye shall have your hearts' desire,Tasting, with the heavenly choir,Feasts of Love eternally.
Words in this poem 25
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- timidity n.
- The quality or state of being timid; timorousness; timidness. [L. timiditas: cf. F. timidité.]
- descant v. i.
- To sing a variation or accomplishment. [From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing.]
- wintry a.
- Suitable to winter; resembling winter, or what belongs to winter; brumal; hyemal; cold; stormy; wintery. [AS. wintrig.]
- babe n.
- An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. [Cf. Ir. bab, baban, W. baban, maban.]
- incarnate a.
- Not in the flesh; spiritual. [Pref. in- not + carnate.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- strife n.
- The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
- jubilant a.
- Uttering songs of triumph; shouting with joy; triumphant; exulting. [L. jubilans, -antis, p. pr. of jubilare to shout for joy: cf. F. jubila. See Jubilate.]
- honour n.
- Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
- wondrous adv.
- In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
- evermore adv.
- During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
- seraphim n.
- The Hebrew plural of Seraph. Cf. Cherubim.
- nocturn n.
- An office of devotion, or act of religious service, by night. [F. nocturne, fr. L. nocturnus. See Nocturnal, and cf. Nocturne.]
- valiant a.
- Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer. [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant, valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L. valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail, Convalesce, ]
- evangelist n.
- A bringer of the glad tidings of Church and his doctrines.
- rhapsodist n.
- Anciently, one who recited or composed a rhapsody; especially, one whose profession was to recite the verses of Hormer and other epic poets. [From Rhapsody.]
- clearer n.
- One who, or that which, clears.
- henceforth adv.
- From this time forward; henceforward.
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- repent a.
- Prostrate and rooting; -- said of stems. Gray. [L. repens, -entis, creeping, p. pr. of repere to creep.]
- blessedness n.
- The state of being blessed; happiness; felicity; bliss; heavenly joys; the favor of God.
- entreat v. t.
- To treat, or conduct toward; to deal with; to use. [OE. entreten to treat, request, OF. entraiter to treat of; pref. en- (L. in) + traitier to treat. See Treat.]
- kneel v. i.
- To bend the knee; to fall or rest on the knees; -- sometimes with down. [OE. knelen, cneolien; akin to D. knielen, Dan. knæle. See Knee.]
- eternally adv.
- In an eternal manner.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Song of the Nativity of Jesus Christ is in the public domain. This text is taken from Jacopone da Todi, Poet and Mystic, 1228-1306: A Spiritual Biography, with a Selection from the Spiritual Songs, Internet Archive, the Mrs. Theodore Beck translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Jacopone da Todi, Song of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, in The Lauds (1919), text of Internet Archive, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/jacopone-lauds/song-of-the-nativity-of-jesus-christ.html, id L27105.
Form and metre
Song of the Nativity of Jesus Christ is 111 lines in 13 stanzas. The metre is trochaic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 91%).
See other poems in trochaic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AA- strainA · slainA · misery
- 2 --ABBACC- key · timidity · earA · strainB · againB · clearA · keenC · seenC · harmony
- 3 AA-BB-CC- fairA · airA · sonorous · theyB · layB · chorus · wordC · heardC · infancy
- 4 AA-BB-CC- skyA · highA · resonant · peaceB · ceaseB · jubilant · singC · kingC · he
- 5 AABCCB--- writA · infiniteA · clearB · feetC · sweetC · hearB · given · heaven · melody
- 6 AAB--BCC- stirredA · heardA · knowB · divinity · majesty · belowB · trueC · anewC · joyously
- 7 AABCCB--- doorA · evermoreA · heartB · aspiresC · desiresC · partB · seraphim · him · divinity
- 8 --ABBACC- given · heaven · bandA · headB · bedB · standA · giveC · liveC · he
- 9 AABCCBDD- followingA · singA · borneB · evangelistC · rhapsodistC · adornB · farD · areD · harmony
- 10 AABCCBDD- heardA · thirdA · partB · childC · smiledC · heartB · sayD · dayD · thee
- 11 AABCCBDD- throngA · longA · birthB · soundC · foundC · earthB · hereD · dearD · be
- 12 AA-BB-CC- bentA · repentA · penitence · stayB · awayB · sense · mindC · findC · piety
- 13 --ABBACC- innocent · diligent · singA · entreatB · feetB · kingA · desireC · choirC · eternally
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against trochaic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| O NEW Song, of heavenly strain, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Man's lamenting Thou hast slain, | 7 | ·˘/˘··· |
| Raised him from his misery. | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| In a piercing major key, | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Yet with soft timidity, | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
| Sweetest singing charms the ear; | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Now ensues a minor strain, | 7 | ·˘/·/˘· |
| Gently floating down again, | 7 | /˘/˘·˘/ |
| Sweeter still, and still more clear. | 7 | /˘····· |
| Such a descant, pure and keen, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Never sure was heard or seen, | 7 | /˘····· |
| So divine in harmony. | 7 | ·˘/·/˘˘ |
| And the Singers, glad and fair, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Making in the wintry air, | 7 | /˘··/˘· |
| Strains so sweet, and so sonorous, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| —Ah, the blessèd Angels they, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Chanting thus in parts their lay, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Singing in a varied chorus, | 8 | /˘··/˘/˘ |
| To the Babe, th' Incarnate Word ; | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| And the little Babe hath heard, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Lovely in His Infancy. | 7 | /˘··/˘˘ |
| Music fills the midnight sky | 7 | /˘··/·· |
| "Glory be to God on high!" | 7 | /˘····· |
| Say the voices resonant. | 7 | ··/˘/˘˘ |
| " And on earth there shall be peace, | 7 | ······· |
| "Strife shall die and wars shall cease, | 7 | ······· |
| All the world be jubilant!" | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| Then together let us sing, | 7 | ·˘/˘··· |
| Laud and honour to our King, | 7 | ··/˘·/· |
| Christ, adored and blest is He. | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| On an earthly parchment writ | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Is this music infinite, | 7 | ··/˘/˘˘ |
| Blazoned firm, and fair, and clear. | 7 | ······· |
| We who stand on earth-bound feet, | 7 | ······· |
| We may claim this music sweet, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| If we listen, we may hear. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| God's own hand the scroll hath given, | 8 | ······/˘ |
| For He writes the notes in heaven, | 8 | ······/˘ |
| Teacheth us the melody.— | 7 | /˘··/˘˘ |
| There, where Love the heart hath stirred, | 7 | ······· |
| There that singing shall be heard, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Faith shall hear it and shall know. | 7 | ······· |
| For God's great Divinity, | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
| In its wondrous Majesty, | 7 | ··/˘/˘˘ |
| Is incarnate here below. | 7 | ·˘/˘··· |
| Hence comes Hope, both fair and true, | 7 | ······· |
| Lifts our hearts to God anew, | 7 | ·/···˘/ |
| Gives us courage joyously. | 6 | ··/˘·· |
| He that enters at this door, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| He shall hear for evermore, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Songs of love within his heart: | 7 | ······· |
| To God's image he aspires, | 8 | ··/˘·˘/˘ |
| Of the Beauty he desires, | 8 | ··/˘·˘/˘ |
| He shall now become a part. | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| Like the heavenly seraphim, | 8 | ··/˘˘/˘˘ |
| Love shall flame so high in him, | 7 | ······· |
| He shall gain divinity. | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
| Hark! the first nocturn is given | 8 | ···/˘·/˘ |
| To the valiant troop from heaven, | 8 | ··/˘··/˘ |
| To the noble martyr band: | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Stephen singing at their head, | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Risen from his stony bed, | 7 | /˘··/˘· |
| And his comrades round him stand. | 7 | ··/···· |
| Jesus Christ their life doth give, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Grafted in His Stem they live, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Red Pomegranate flower is He. | 7 | ·/˘/˘·· |
| The Confessors following, | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| Do the second nocturn sing, | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| On their voices it is borne ; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| And the great Evangelist, | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
| He must be their rhapsodist, | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| For His words their notes adorn, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Treble notes, and clearer far | 7 | /˘··/˘· |
| This their strain, than others are,— | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Rare it is in harmony. | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| Next the Innocents are heard, | 7 | ··/˘˘·· |
| For their nocturn is the third; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Sweetly do they take their part. | 7 | /˘····· |
| They around the Holy Child, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Ages-long have knelt and smiled, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Sweet companions for His Heart. | 7 | ·˘/˘··· |
| "Christ is born," their voices say ; | 7 | ····/˘· |
| "Jesus Christ is born to-day, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Praise, O God, we sing to Thee!" | 7 | ······· |
| O ye sinners, erring throng, | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Serving evil lords so long, | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Come and hail this Infant Birth! | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Come, and make a joyful sound ; | 7 | ····/˘· |
| God with Man henceforth is found, | 7 | ···//·· |
| He is come to dwell on earth. | 7 | ······· |
| As a Little Boy He's here; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Long-desired, we hold Him dear ; | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| Very precious shall He be. | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Erring men, on evil bent, | 7 | /˘··/˘· |
| He hath called you to repent, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Come to Him in penitence. | 7 | ····/˘˘ |
| Penitence your hearts shall stay, | 7 | /˘˘···· |
| Driving every sin away, | 7 | /˘/˘·˘/ |
| Purging heart, and soul, and sense. | 7 | /˘····· |
| Verily the humble mind | 7 | /˘˘·/˘· |
| Penitent, the truth shall find, | 7 | /˘˘···· |
| Blessedness and piety. | 7 | /˘˘·/˘˘ |
| Humble men, and innocent, | 7 | /˘··/˘˘ |
| Upright men, and diligent, | 7 | /···/˘˘ |
| Come before Him, come and sing. | 7 | ······· |
| Let Him not in vain entreat, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Come and kneel before His feet, | 7 | ······· |
| Giving glory to your King. | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Ye shall have your hearts' desire, | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| Tasting, with the heavenly choir, | 7 | /˘··/˘/ |
| Feasts of Love eternally. | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.