--  In the Bleak Midwinter  --


LYRICS, 2 languages


EN - English
FI - Finnish


Form: V V V V [V]


Melody: 1906 Gustav Holst


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EN (English)                               1872 Christina Rossetti

--  In the Bleak Midwinter  --

VERSE 1            In the bleak mid-winter
                      frosty wind made moan,
                   earth stood hard as iron,
                      water like a stone.
                   Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
                      snow on snow,
                   in the bleak mid-winter
                      *long ago.

VERSE 2            *Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him,
                      nor *earth sustain,
                   heaven and earth *shall flee away
                      when He comes to reign.
                   In the bleak mid-winter
                      *a stable-place sufficed
                   *the Lord God Almighty,
                      *Jesus Christ.

VERSE 3            *Enough for Him, whom cherubim
                      worship night and day,
                   *a breastful of milk and
                      *a mangerful of hay.
                   Enough for *Him, whom angels
                      fall down before,
                   *the ox and ass and camel
                      *which adore.

VERSE 4            Angels and archangels
                      may have gathered there,
                   cherubim and seraphim
                      *thronged the air.
                   But only His mother,
                      in her maiden bliss,
                   worshipped the Beloved
                      with *a kiss.

VERSE 5            What can *I give Him,
                      poor as I am?
                   If I were a shepherd,
                      I would bring a lamb.
                   If I were a wise man,
                      I would do my part.
                   *Yet what I can, I give Him:
                      *give my heart.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* EN alternative lyrics:    long / long time
                            Our God, Heaven cannot /
                               God, Heaven can't
                            earth / the earth
                            shall flee away / give way
                            a stable-place / stable-place
                            the Lord God / for the Lord
                            Jesus / infant Jesus
                            Enough for / For
                            a breastful / breastful
                            a mangerful / mangerful
                            Him, whom / whom
                            the ox / ox
                            which / which Him
                            thronged the / thronging in the
                            a / a gentle
                            I / I now
                            Yet what / What
                            give / I give all
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FI (Finnish)                              transl. 2018 Ion Mittler

--  Talven pakkasessa  --
--  (In the Bleak Midwinter suomeksi)  --

VERSE 1            Talven pakkasessa
                      tuuli huokailee,
                   järven jää huurteessa,
                      lunta putoilee.
                   Taas ajatuksissa
                      joulun aikana
                   ihme tuossa maassa
                      kerran kaukana.

VERSE 2            Enkelitkin silloin
                      saapui katsomaan,
                   suurin väkijoukoin
                      tähän maailmaan:
                   Siellä neito sievä
                      lasta keinuttaa,
                   poikaa aivan pientä
                      uneen tuudittaa.

VERSE 3            Talliin seimi pieni
                      heiniin tehty on,
                   härkä sekä aasi
                      vierellänsä on.
                   Mutta niillä lahjaa
                      ei oo hienoa,
                   vain yhteistä aikaa
                      ja mieltä jaloa.

VERSE 4            Mitä voisin antaa,
                      köyhä tällainen?
                   Voisin tuoda lampaan,
                      jos oisin paimen.
                   Tietäjä jos oisin,
                      neuvon antaisin.
                   Mitä voin, annan sen:
                      nöyrän sydämen.
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EN (English):    1872 Christina Rossetti
FI (Finnish):    transl. (C) CC BY-SA 4.0 2018 Ion Mittler
                 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/