“ Online Christmas Carols in Esperanto ”

Over 125 Christmas Songs

in Esperanto Revised Dec. 5, 2004

Most of these Advent, Christmas and Epiphany songs are in TTT-Himnaro Cigneta, the Esperanto online hymnal. Since I edit that hymnal, I'm reasonably well up on what's in it, but this is intended to be a comprehensive resource list, so if you know of an Esperanto Christmas carol that is available online but is not listed here, let me know the URL. Thanks!!

This is a list of links in alphabetical order by original and/or English first lines. Where I'm not aware of an English version to cite, I've supplied a literal English translation of the Esperanto first line, in ("Quotation marks within parentheses"). A list of Esperanto Christmas carols by Esperanto first lines/titles is here, and a list of non-Christmas hymns (by English title/first lines) is here. If you can't find what you're looking for, email me and I'll try to find (or translate) it for you. May take a while, heck, it may never happen, but I'll try ;-)...

Carols in my online hymnal generally have MIDI links following the texts; if you go to a song you're looking for and it's got unfamiliar music playing, scroll down; chances are the tune you're looking for has a MIDI link there after all.

A very few Christmas songs that are not in Esperanto are listed, preceded by the symbol . If you have a lead on an Esperanto version of any of these, you can assume I'd appreciate knowing about it.

Leland Bryant Ross, Editor, TTT-Himnaro Cigneta

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Following English custom, I have ignored Esperanto "supersignojn" and other diacritical marks in alphabetizing;

hence, Ĉe l' Kristofest' precedes Child in the manger instead of following Creator of the stars of night,

and Sæle jolekveld precedes Sans Day Carol rather than following Susani

Key to Symbols = "best bet" (my preference, other things being equal, where I give more than one version)

= can you help? (place cursor over symbol to see how)

= MIDIs for more than one tune : (place cursor over symbol to view list)

= tune originally composed for the Esperanto text

= comment concerning the music : (place cursor over symbol to view comment)

= link to English text

= Zamenhof's birthday parody

= originally written in Esperanto (at least in part)

= click for version in a language other than Esperanto or English

= not in Esperanto



A child this day is born : Hodiaŭ jen naskiĝis

A great and mighty wonder (Μεγα και παραδοξον θαυμα) :

A : Potencan mirindaĵon — B : La Vorto enkarniĝis

A ship there comes, a-laden (Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen) : Miriga ŝip' alvenas

A solis ortus cardine — see From east to west, from shore to shore

Across the plains one Christmas night ("The Three Drovers")

All hail to you, O blessed morn! (Var hälsad, sköna morgonstund) : Saluton, glora fru-maten'

All my heart this night rejoices (Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen) :

A : Flugu, kor', per ĝoj-flugiloj — B : Ĝojo ravas mian koron

Amen, amen (See the baby) : Amen, amen! (Jen la bebo)

Angels from heaven sang a thrilling psalm (Wśród nocnej ciszy) : Dum nokt' silenta kantas la ĉiel'

Angels from the realms of glory : Anĝelar' el regnoj gloraj

Angels we have heard on high — see Shepherds, in the field abiding

Angelus pastoribus — see Anioł pasterzom mówił

Anioł pasterzom mówił : Diris el la nokta hel' ("Said [an angel] from the nighttime light")

As shepherds filled with joy (Pastores a Belén) : Al Betleĥemo do

As with gladness men of old : Kiel saĝular' kun ĝoj'

At even, long ago : Vespere, antaŭ longe

Away in a manger : En bova fojntrogo ( )



Bóg się rodzi, moc truchleje — see God is born, great powers tremble

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning : Filo plej hela de horo matena

Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella (Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle) : Portu torĉon, Ĵanet', Izabela |



Cantique de Noël — see O holy night!

Carol of the Birds — see Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing

Ĉe l' Kristofesto ĝojas ni : ("At the feast of Christ we rejoice")

Cherry-Tree Carol, The — see When Joseph was an old man

Child in the Manger (Leanabh an Àigh) : Beb' de Maria

Christ was born in Bethlehem

Ĉiopova Eternulo, ni rigardas al ĉiel' — see La Saĝuloj pro Advento

Come, all ye shepherds (Kommet, ihr Hirten) : Aŭdu, paŝtistoj

Come, angels, come! from heaven appear (Vom Himmel hoch, O Engel kommt) : Anĝeloj, venu el ĉiel'

Come surely, Lord Jesus : Alvenu, ho Jesuo, kiel venas aŭror'

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus : Longe sopirata Kristo (2 stanzas, 87.87.D | 4 stanzas, 87.87)

Conditor alme siderum — see Creator of the stars of night

Creator of the stars of night (Conditor alme siderum) : Vi, kies verk' la univers'



Dashing through the snow (Jingle Bells) : Glitante sur la neĝ' (Tintilaro) |

Deck the halls (Oer yw'r gwr sy'n methu caru) Baldaŭ mortos jaro nuna

Dejlig er Jorden : Ĉarma la tero ("Charming is the earth")

Det ljus som liv åt världen gav : La lumo venis al la mond' ("The light has come to the world")

Det susar genom livets strid : Susuras tra la viv-batal' ("There whispers through the strife of life")

Dia Vort', el Dia sfer' : ("Word Divine, from sphere divine")

Dieu, pour fonder son tréseur habitacle : Sur sanktaj montoj ("On holy mountains")

Ding dong! Merrily on high ( ) : Ding dong! plenas en ĉiel'



Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe (Rundgesang) — see Glory to God in the highest (round)

Emmanuel, Emmanuel : Emanuel', Emanuel'

? En betleĥema gastejo : ("In a Bethlehem inn")

Erwartet den Herrn : Atendu Jesuon, do pretu ĉe l' pordo ("Await Jesus, be ready at the door")

Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen : Alvenis tempo al ni de advento ("The time of Advent has come")

Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen — see A ship there comes, a-laden



Far, far away, on Judea's plains : For, longe for en Judea land'

Fast away the old year passes — see Deck the halls

Foremothers of Christ ( ) : Ni vin memoras kun omaĝ'

Fra fjord og fjære : De val' kaj fjordo ("From fjord and valley")

Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen — see All my heart this night rejoices

From east to west, from shore to shore (A solis ortus cardine) : Al turnopunkt' de l' sunleviĝ'

From heaven above to earth I come :

A : El alt' ĉiela venas mi — B : Mi venas el la alt-ĉiel'

From lands that see the sun arise — see From east to west, from shore to shore

From the eastern mountains : El la oriento venis saĝular'



Gdy się Chrystus rodzi : Pro la Krist-naskiĝo ("Because of the birth of Christ")

Gdy śliczna panna : Kiam Maria estis ĉe lulilo ("When Mary was at the cradle")

Glory to God in the highest (round) (Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe (Rundgesang) ) :

Gloro al Di' en la alto(j) (rondkanto : 2 variants)

Go, tell it on the mountains : Iru, diru sur la montoj

God bless the master of this house : La mastron kaj mastrinon de la domo benu Di'

— see also Here we come a-wassailing

God is born, great powers tremble (Bóg się rodzi, moc truchleje) | ) : Di naskiĝas, forto falas

God rest you merry, gentlemen : A : Sinjoroj, Dio tenu vin ('Cornish') |

B : Sinjoroj, Dio tenu vin ('London') — C : Ho restu vi en Dio

Good Christian men, rejoice — see note under In Dulci Jubilo

Good King Wenceslas : Staris Reĝo Venceslas'



Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding : Aŭdu! forta voĉo sonas

Hark the glad sound! : Ho ĝoja son'!

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing :

A : Aŭdu! kantas anĝel-ĥor' — B : Kantas anĝelara ĥor' — (set to C OOKHAM ) |

He is born : A : Li naskiĝis, la beba Di' — B : Jen naskiĝis la Di-infan'

He smiles within his cradle (In der Wiegen) : Ridetas Li en Sia lulil'

Here we come a-wassailing : Jen venas ni kantante tostojn

Ho, vi junulino en Prapalestino : {"Oh, you young woman in ancient Palestine")

Huron Carol, The — see 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime

Hush, all ye sounds of war ( ) : Ĉesu, milita bru'



I heard the bells on Christmas Day : La sonorilojn aŭdis mi

I saw three ships come sailing in : Tri ŝipojn jen ekvidis mi

In Bethlem town the Christ was born ( )

In der Wiegen — see He smiles within his cradle

In dulci jubilo (Latin/Esperanto) : A : ... nun kantu ni kun ĝojo — B : ... gajege kantu do |

(Note : In dulci jubilo is perhaps the best known "macaronic" carol; "macaroni" in this sense refers not to pasta, but to lyrics that shift back and forth between Latin and a vernacular language. Good Christian men, rejoice is J. M. Neale's de-macaronicized rewrite of In dulci jubilo; Good Christian friends , rejoice has of late gained currency as an inclusive-language alternative to Good Christian men , but be it noted that the medieval, macaronic original was already inclusive in its language; the "linguistic sexism" was a Victorian innovation of J. M. Neale's.)

(W Żłobie Leży)

A :

B :

— see Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen

A :

B :

("Come already, O Lord")

— see Dashing through the snow

— see The first good joy that Mary had

— Come, all ye shepherds

*

("Brothers, lift your heart" / *Inclusive rewrite: "Come, lift your heart")

— see Kommt und laßt uns Christum ehren

("Christ-child, to the crèche we come")

("The sigh of one oppressed")

[drawn from Karl Marx's famous "opiate of the people" passage on religion]

("Almighty Lord, we look to the heavens")

— see Child in the manger

(Σιγησατω πασα σαρξ βροτεια)

(Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich)

("He lies within a stable trough")

(Macht hoch die Thür)

A :

B :

(Hajej Nynjej, Ježičku)

(Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen — Flos de radice Jesse)

A :

B :

C :

— see Seall Thall Tighinn Bhon Ear

("Streets, square abandoned")

— see A great and mighty wonder

— see My heart and voice I raise

("I praise You, Lord"; v. 1 is based on Magnificat)

("To God my song arises"; based on Magnificat)

— see O holy night

("My heart is ever in Jesus' stall")

("A baby was born in Bethlehem")

("Heavens, give dew to the earth")

("Now angels come with a song in the air")

("Every inhabitant is already sleeping")

(O Tannenbaum)

A :

B :

C :

(Veni, veni Emmanuel)

(Den signade/signede dag)

(O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf)

(Minuit, chrétien (Cantique de Noël))

(O du fröhliche)

— see Deck the halls

(Personent hodie)

("Oh shepherds here, what did you see?")

— see As shepherds filled with joy

— see On this day earth shall ring

("Thou, whose hand wondrously guideth")

(En Frelser er oss født idag)

— see Little Jesus

("Charming Christmas Eve")

— see Now the holly bears a berry

— see Sindi Tlaas

(Veni redemptor gentium)

("Look yonder, from the East")

— see The first good joy that Mary had

("Be welcome, Lord Christ")

(Les anges dans nos campagnes)

(Quem pastores laudavere)

Σιγησατω πασα σαρξ βροτεια

— see Let all mortal flesh keep silence

("Santa Claus is coming to town")

(Stille Nacht)

A :

1997 —

B :

1971

C :

D :

(several more Esperanto translations, plus versions in lots of other languages)

— see Deck the halls

("Send as rain upon the earth")

(in part Was soll das bedeuten)

(Zu Betlehem geboren)

A :

B :

( N OTE : Estennialon de tsonoue was the first known Christmas carol written in North America, ca. 1643)

— see Unto us is born a Son

(Puer nobis nascitur)

— see From heaven above to earth I come

(Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme)

A :

B :

("A famous story in the Gospel")

(or What)

(Quelle est cette odeur agréable)

A :

B :

— see Angels from heaven sang a thrilling psalm

(Her kommer dina arme smaa)

("To us something new has appeared")

: What are Zambankanzonoj ?? — Dr. L. L. Zamenhof, the inventor of Esperanto, was born December 15, 1859. Esperanto societies and clubs frequently mark his birthday with a banquet or other special get-together. Because the date falls smack in the middle of Advent, and given so many Esperantists' propensity for song, in some circles a new musical genre has arisen, the "zambankanzono" (literally, Zam [enhof-] ban [quet-] chanson). A "zambankanzono" is a humorous song, irreverently honoring Dr. Zamenhof and/or making light-hearted fun of aspects of the Esperanto-movement subculture, sung to a tune associated with Christmas. In the foregoing list, I have used the tiny-bust-of-Zamenhof symbol ( ) to indicate links to classic zambankanzonoj by DoKo Jordan, the University of California anthropologist who formalized the genre. A general list of Esperanto-movement songs (also suitable for Zamenhof's birthday) is here. The general index to songs on my personal website is here.

The background music here is

Aus fremden Landen,

the tune to which Martin Luther originally wrote

Vom Himmel hoch.



is affiliated with

Eldonejo Cigneto