Gregorian/Christmas chant: Puer natus in Bethlehem (Lyric Video)

Please help us keep our channel alive by donating as little as 1$ ---- Social media: ---- Twitter: Facebook: About the chant: ---- This Christmas hymn was especially popular during the ancient period. Its author is unknown. The oldest Latin text found so far is contained in a Benedictine book dating from the beginning of the fourteenth century. The Latin text, which is found in many different redactions ranging from six to twelve stanzas, has, very likely, been composed by several authors. Consequently, it has undergone many changes due to omissions, revisions, and additions. “Puer natus” was translated into German in 1439 by Heinrich von Laufenberg. Later on a number of German versions appeared. In the old German, Danish, and Swedish hymnals a translation in the vernacular was inserted immediately after each Latin stanza. It has been surmised that the choir sang the Latin and the congregation sang translations of the same. The German rendering most extensively used was that found in Valentin Babst’s Geystliche Lieder, 1545: “Ein Kind geboren zu Bethlehem.” This contains ten stanzas with the German translation inserted after each stanza except the second. The English version included in The Lutheran Hymnary was made by Philip Schaff and was printed in his Christ in Song, 1869. Latin Text: ---- Puer natus in Bethlehem, Unde gaudet Jerusalem, alleluia. Refrain: In cordis jubilo, Christum natum adoremus Cum novo cantico. Assumpsit carnem Filius, Dei Patris altissimus, alleluia. Per Gabrielem nuntium, Virgo concepit Filium, alleluia. Tamquam sponsus de thalamo, Processit Matris utero, alleluia. Hic iacet in praesepio, Qui regnat sine termino, alleluia. Cognovit bos et asinus, Quod puer erat Dominus. alleluia. Et Angelus pastoribus, Revelat quod sit Dominus, alleluia. Reges de Saba Veniunt, Aurum thus myrrham offerunt, alleluia. Intrantes domum invicem, Novum salutant Principem, alleluia. De Matre natus Virgine, Sine virili semine, alleluia. Sine serpentis vulnere, De nostro venit sanguine, alleluia. In carne nobis similis, Peccato sed dissimilis, alleluia. Ut redderet nos homines, Deo et sibi similes, alleluia. In hoc natali gaudio, Benedicamus Domino, alleluia. Laudetur sancta Trinitas, Deo dicamus gratias, alleluia.
Back to Top