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.
Love the music and translation.
When I first saw the title, James, I thought it was going to be a poem about the key architectural features of Speyside, Scotland. But what I read was related to an altogether different spirit. You struck some very nice chords.
How lovely, thank you for sharing… I am reading and listening on Christmas Eve. What a gift we’ve been given in Christ, our Saviour
Enjoyed both the translation and the music, James. Thank you
for them on this blessed anticipatory day.
It’s a beautiful song, and I think your harmonies are lovely. I’m also glad to know about the other verses.
Thank you for reminding me of this beautiful carol. I am a church organist and over the years beauties like this have been edited out of our Missals. I found the music online and will be playing it tonight and tomorrow as a communion meditation.
A blessed and Merry Christmas to all.
James, thank you for sharing the wonderful Christmas hymn, “Still, Still, Still.” I so enjoyed listening to your composition, while reading your translation – this was a special gift beneath our tree!
I’m grateful for every comment!
Merry Christmas to all! And the reason Christmas is merry is because, as the old English Carol declares: “Christ was born for you!”
A remarkable lullaby carol that smoothly extends from the mother-and-child portrait to doctrinal exposition of the nativity’s meaning sweeping through history. These five verses comprise great wealth in lovely folk music. Your own harmonizations, James, seem to develop the tune in a similar smiling way. Blessings be with you and yours!
I have loved this tune for decades. So good to hear your arrangement. Thank you Jim for this and hope you and yours have a very merry Christmas. Best wishes from over here.
What a lovely translation of this beautiful hymn. My children sang this in their children’s choir years ago.
Merry Christmas!
That was a great effort, James. I must admit, I’d never heard that hymn before. Now there’s a translation.
I went to Midnight Mass here (which finished at 10:30 due to the laws of assembly), which was in French. Although my French is not that great, I clapped and danced and amen-ed in the right places.