19. O WONDER ONVERWACHT
O wonder onverwacht,
Wie had het oyt ghedacht.
Wie had het dorven wenschen.
Dat noch eens naer des vaders wensch,
Eeuwigh Godt hier met ons, ô menschen,
Sou worden mensch.
Die 't al geschaepen heeft,
Hier nu van koude beeft,
In doecxkens teer ghewonden,
Op het hoy by den Os gheleyt.
Hier nu, ô mensch, Godt om ons sonden
Van koude schreyt.
Loopt rasch naer Bethleem,
En gaet besoecken hem,
Den Os die sal u leeren,
Hoe dat ghy het cleen Kindeken,
Maer grooten Godt, ô mensch, moet eeren
En d'eselken. | [19] O UNEXPECTED WONDER
O unexpected wonder,
Who would have thought,
Who could have dared wish
That once, following his Father's wish,
The eternal God would become incarnate
And at one with us, His people.
He who brought this about
Shivers now from teh cold.
Wound about in swaddling clothes
And laid on the hay by the oxen.
Here and now, mankind, God weeps for cold
For our sins' sake.
Run quickly to Bethlehem
And visit Him;
The ox will teach you
How to honour the little Child
Who is the mighty God,
As will the ass.
Translation © 1997, Peter Lockwood
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