16. HERDERS HY IS GHEBOREN
Herders hy is gheboren,
In 't midden van den nacht,
Die soo langh van te voren
De wereldt heeft verwacht.
Vrolijck ô Herderkens,
Songhen ons d'Engheltjens,
Songhen met blijde stem:
Haest u naer Bethlehem.
Als wy daer sijn gecomen,
Siet een kleyn kindeken,
Leydt op 't stroy nieu geboren,
Soet als een Lammeken,
D'oogskens van stonden aen,
Sachmen vol tranen staen,
't Weenden uyt druck en rou,
In dese felle cou.
Siet wy schencken u t'samen,
Een teer wit Lammerken,
Boter-melck ende Sane (*1),
Voor u, lief moederken.
Na na na Kintjen teer,
Sus sus en kryt niet meer,
Doet u kleyn ooghskens toe,
Sy sijn van krijten moe.
't Kint begost nu te slaepen,
De Moeder sprack ons aen,
Lieve Herderkens t'saemen,
Wilt soetjens buyten gaen.
U-lie sy peys, en vré,
Dat brenght mijn kint u mé,
Want 't is Godt uwen Heer,
Comt morgen noch eens weer.
(*1): room
| [16] SHEPHERDS, HE IS BORN
Shepherds, he is born
In the middle of the night
He whom the world has awaited
From so long before.
Merrily, o shepherds,
The angels sang to us,
Sang with joyful voices;
Hasten now to Bethlehem.
When we got there
We saw a small child,
New-born, lying on straw
And sweet as a lamb.
His eyes were open
And were seen to be full of tears.
He was weeping from stress and sorrow
In this bitter cold.
Behold, all of us offer you gifts,
A tender white lamb,
Buttermilk and cream
For you dear Mother.
Na, na, na, tender child,
Ssh, ssh, cry no more.
Shut your little eyes,
For they are tired out from weeping.
The child began to sleep,
His Mother addressed us.
Ye shepherds all,
Please go quietly outside.
To ye be the peace and joy
That my Child has brought with him,
For He who is God your Lord.
Come back on the morrow.
Translation © 1997, Peter Lockwood
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