‘Still, Still, Still’: A Translation and Musical Arrangement by James A. Tweedie

Still, Still, Still

A Translation and Musical Arrangement of a German Carol

“Still, Still, Still” is a German-language Austrian Christmas carol and lullaby. The melody is a folk tune from the district of Salzburg. The tune appeared in print for the first time in 1865 in a folksong collection of Vinzenz Maria Süß (1802–1868), founder of the Salzburg Museum. The words describe the peace of the infant Jesus and his mother as the baby is sung to sleep. They have changed slightly over the years, but the modern Standard German version remains attributed to Georg Götsch (1895–1956). There are various English translations. (From Wikipedia)

This audio recording of the tune offers one verse in standard piano harmony and one for which I have provided a new harmonic arrangement for piano, which is then repeated for strings.

Although most modern hymnals include only two verses (most often taken from a translation by George K. Evans, b. 1917) the traditional German setting includes five. In my translation I have attempted to adhere as closely as possible to both the rhyme and meter of the German text.

Still, Still, Still

translated from German by James A. Tweedie

Still, still, still, the little child lies still.
As Mary sings, we see him sleeping;
Such great love her heart is keeping.
Still, still, still, the little child lies still.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, my dearest baby, sleep!
The little angels’ choir is singing,
To your crib their joy is bringing.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, my dearest baby, sleep!

Great, great, great, such love is O, so great.
Our God from heav’n to earth came knocking;
On our streets he now is walking
Great, great, great, such love is O, so great.

Rise, rise, rise, you children of Adam rise!
At Jesus’ feet we must be falling,
For through him salvation’s calling.
Rise, rise, rise, you children of Adam rise!

We, we, we, we all cry out to Thee:
May gates of heaven open to us
So in death, you may renew us.
We, we, we, we all cry out to Thee.

Alternate line three: “Offering her breast for feeding”

Original German

Still, Still, Still

Still, still, still, weil ‘s Kindlein schlafen will.
Maria tut es niedersingen,
ihre große Lieb darbringen.[1]
Still, still, still, weil ‘s Kindlein schlafen will.

Schlaf, schlaf, schlaf, mein liebes Kindlein, schlaf!
Die Englein tun schön musizieren,
vor dem Kripplein jubilieren.
Schlaf, schlaf, schlaf, mein liebes Kindlein, schlaf!

Groß, groß, groß, die Lieb’ ist übergroß.
Gott hat den Himmelsthron verlassen
und muss reisen auf den Straßen.
Groß, groß, groß, die Lieb’ ist übergroß.

Auf, auf, auf, ihr Adamskinder auf!
Fallet Jesum all’ zu Füßen,
weil er für uns d’Sünd tut büßen!
Auf, auf, auf, ihr Adamskinder auf!

Wir, wir, wir, wir rufen all’ zu dir:
Tu uns des Himmels Reich aufschließen,
wenn wir einmal sterben müssen.
Wir, wir, wir, wir rufen all’ zu dir.

[1] Alternate line: “ihre keusche Brust darbringen”

James A. Tweedie is a retired pastor living in Long Beach, Washington. He has written and published six novels, one collection of short stories, and four collections of poetry including Sidekicks, Mostly Sonnets, and Laughing Matters, all with Dunecrest Press. His poems have been published nationally and internationally in both print and online media. He was honored with being chosen as the winner of the 2021 SCP International Poetry Competition.