颂诗译选

从天降世

凌风 译

 

从高天我降到世间
传好信息给每一家庭；
带来欢乐的大喜佳音，
因此我现在要传扬歌颂。

为你们今夜生了一个婴孩
马利亚是蒙拣选的溫和母亲；
那个卑微的小孩子，
是喜乐为全地上的人。

尽管这大地再千倍美好，
镶嵌着精金珠宝绝世稀罕，
主啊，仍然是贫穷难堪
不配作你狭小的搖篮。

啊，最亲爱的圣婴耶稣，
为你作一张床，柔软又纯洁，
在我的心里愿意预备
为你保留的安靜房舍。

“荣耀归於神在至高的天堂，
祂的爱子赐给了人间”，
当天使们用敬虔的欢乐歌唱，
全地上开了喜乐的新纪元。

 

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

From heaven above to earth I come
To bear good news to every home:
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
Whereof I now will say and sing.

To you this night is born a child
Of Mary, chosen mother mild;
This little child, of lowly birth,
Shall be the joy of all the earth.

Were earth a thousand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jewels rare,
She yet were far too poor to be
A narrow cradle, Lord, to Thee.

Ah, dearest Jesus, Holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

"Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given,"
While angels sing with pious mirth
A glad new year to all the earth.

Martin Luther（1483-1546）
trans. Catherine Winkworth（1827-1878）