Overview
Introduction
"Silent Night" (German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.
History
The song was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a village in the Austrian Empire on the Salzach river in present-day Austria. A young priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before. He had written the lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" in 1816 at Mariapfarr, the hometown of his father in the Salzburg Lungau region, where Joseph had worked as a co-adjutor.
The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf. Before Christmas Eve, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the Christmas Eve mass.[2] Together they performed the new carol during the mass on the night of 24 December.
The original manuscript has been lost. However, a manuscript was discovered in 1995 in Mohr's handwriting and dated by researchers as c. 1820. It states that Mohr wrote the words in 1816 when he was assigned to a pilgrim church in Mariapfarr, Austria, and shows that the music was composed by Gruber in 1818. This is the earliest manuscript that exists and the only one in Mohr's handwriting.
Lyrics
以下是平安夜歌词的德文原文、英文译文与中国五四运动时期基督徒刘廷芳的中文译文。
汉语译文
- 平安夜，圣善夜！
- 万暗中，光华射，
- 照着圣母，照着圣婴，
- 多少慈祥，多少天真，
- 静享天赐安眠，静享天赐安眠。
- 平安夜，圣善夜！?
- 牧羊人，在旷野，
- 忽然看见了天上光华，
- 听见天军唱哈利路亚，
- 救主今夜降生，救主今夜降生！
- 平安夜，圣善夜！
- 神子爱，光皎洁，
- 救赎宏恩的黎明来到，
- 圣容发出来荣光普照，
- 耶稣我主降生，耶稣我主降生！
德文原文
Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht
- Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
- Alles schläft, einsam wacht
- Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
- Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
- Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
- Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh
- Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
- Hirten erst kundgemacht
- Durch der Engel Hallelujah,
- Tönt es laut von fern und nah,
- Christ, der Retter ist da,
- Christ, der Retter ist da!
- Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
- Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
- Lieb aus Deinem göttlichen Mund,
- Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund,
- Christ, in Deiner Geburt,
- Christ, in Deiner Geburt!
英语译文
- Silent night Holy night
- All is calm all is bright
- 'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
- Holy infant so tender and mild
- Sleep in heavenly peace
- Sleep in heavenly peace
- Silent night, holy night,
- Shepherds quake at the sight.
- Glories stream from heaven afar,
- Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;
- Christ the Savior is born;
- Christ the Savior is born.
- Silent night, holy night,
- Son of God, love's pure light.
- Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
- With the dawn of redeeming grace,
- Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth;
- Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
