Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 12 - Zu Bethlehem geboren (In Bethlehem Was Born) [German]
 

Zu Bethlehem geboren is a German Christmas carol. The text is attributed to Friedrich Spee, and was first printed in the collection Geistlichen Psälterlein (Little Sacred Psalter) in 1637. The melody was taken from a French chanson, Une petite feste, which was popular at the time and which had a frivolous and racy text. Spee often wrote sacred texts for secular melodies, intending to fight their "pestilent poison." To this day it appears in Catholic and Protestant hymnals.

For a more detailed history of Zu Bethlehem geboren, see  here

Zu Bethlehem geboren
     [Born in Bethlehem]
ist uns ein Kindelein.
     [is a child to us.]
Das hab ich auserkoren,
     [I chose that]
sein eigen will ich sein.
     [I want to be his own.]
Eia, eia, sein eigen will ich sein.
     [Eia, eia, I want to be his own.]

In seine Lieb versenken
     [Sink into his love]
will ich mich ganz hinab;
     [I want to go all the way down;]
mein Herz will ich ihm schenken
     [I want to give my heart to him]
und alles, was ich hab.
     [and all that I have]
Eia, eia, und alles, was ich hab.
     [Eia, eia, and all that I have.]

O Kindelein, von Herzen
     [O children, with all my heart]
dich will ich lieben sehr
     [I want to love you very much]
in Freuden und in Schmerzen,
     [in joys and sorrows,]
je länger mehr und mehr.
     [the longer more and more.]
Eia, eia, je länger mehr und mehr.
     [Eia, eia, the longer more and more.]

Dich wahren Gott ich finde
     [I find you true God]
in meinem Fleisch und Blut;
     [in my flesh and blood;]
darum ich fest mich binde
     [therefore I bind myself tightly]
an dich, mein höchstes Gut.
     [to you, my greatest good.]
Eia, eia, an dich, mein höchstes Gut.
     [Eia, eia, to you, my greatest good.]

 

Zu Bethlehem geboren - Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben

Zu Bethlehem geboren - Pfarrei St. Cyriakus Bottrop