<poem> This gospel sang the angels bright: Lord Jhesu shall be born this night; Born not in house nor yet in hall, Wrapped not in purple nor in pall, Rocked not in silver, neither gold; This word the angels sang of old; Nor christened with white wine nor red; This word of old the angels said Of Him which holdeth in His hand The strong sea and green land.
This thrice and four times happy night— These tidings sang the angels bright— Forlorn, betwixen ear and horn, A babe shall Jhesu Lord be born, A weeping babe in all the cold;— This word the angels sang of old— And wisps of hay shall be his bed; This word of old the angels said Of Him which keepeth in His hand The strong sea and green land.
O babe and Lord, Thou Jhesu bright,— Let all and some now sing this night— Betwixt our sorrow and our sin, Be thou new-born our hearts within; New-born, dear babe and little King, So letten some and all men sing— To wipe for us our tears away! This night so letten all men say Of Him which spake, and lo! they be— The green land and strong sea.
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The author died in 1926, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 95 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.