Merry German Christmas: O Du Fröhliche

I have been enjoying my German Christmas records and CDs this season.  There are many German carols that aren't well known in the United States so I thought I'd share some of my favorites on the blog.

I have already mentioned Leise Rieselt der Schnee.  Today I am humming O Du Fröhliche - O Du Selige!  The writer of the original lyrics was Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826).  He lost 4 of his 7 children to typhoid, which spurred him to found an orphanage in the city of Weimar.  He dedicated this song to the orphans.  His assistant Heinrich Holzschuher completed the carol as we know it today.  

O du fröhliche, o du selige,

gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!

Welt ging verloren, Christ ward geboren:

Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,

gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!

Christ ist erschienen, uns zu versühnen:

Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,

gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!

Himmlische Heere jauchzen dir Ehre:

Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:  This song too carries the Christmas message of Christ's birth to bring grace and salvation to a lost world.

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
The world was lost, Christ is born:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
Christ appeared to our atonement:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
Heavenly armies rejoicing to honor you:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!