I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day ( I heard the bells on Christmas Day / I heard the Christmas bells ) is a popular Christmas carol , which on the poem Christmas Bells (Christmas bells) by Henry W. Longfellow based (1807-1882), which he 1863 the impression of the American Civil War .
The American poet and professor at Harvard University expresses his longing for peaceful coexistence. Today it is sung in several versions as a Christmas carol . One well-known setting is by J. Baptiste Calkin (1827–1905), another by Johnny Marks (1909–1985). A popular pop version comes from the band Casting Crowns (Peace on Earth) .
content
After the complete despair in self-talk with bowed head that there is no peace on earth because the hatred is too strong and scoffs at the song of ' peace on earth, people are pleased ' ( Lk 2.14 EU ):
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
it culminates in the final verse of the answer of the loud and deep sound of Christmas bells :
Then the bells rang louder and deeper:
“God is not dead, and He never slept.
Truth will prevail, falsities will fall.
With peace on earth, a pleasure for people. "
Text (Christmas Bells)
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
- and wild and sweet
- The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
- Had rolled along
- The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
- A voice, a chime,
- A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
- And with the sound
- The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
- And made forlorn
- The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
- "For hate is strong,
- And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! "
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
- The Wrong shall fail,
- The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men. "
literature
- The Bells of Geisenheim . In: Der Spiegel . No. 40 , 1954 ( online ).
Web links
- hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com
- The Christmas Carol Soldier , by Rev. Robert Girard Carroon ( Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the US )
- cedarscamps.org (with a German translation)
- short documentary
- Christmas Bells by Longfellow, a Poem
Videos
- Sound samples: 1 ( Casting Crowns : Peace on Earth / Celebration Choir and Essex Alliance Church Signing Team under the direction of Candice Allembert, Essex Alliance Church, Essex Junction , VT, USA); 2 (Casting Crowns); 3 ( Johnny Marks ); 4 ( Jason Castro ); 5 (House of Bread Church); 6 ( Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash ); 7 (Ed Herrman with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir )
References and footnotes
- ↑ Translation from: Christmas - and memories for our children ( Richard L. Evans ). In: Der Stern (official organ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for German-speaking stakes and missions), December 1971 • 97th volume • Number 12, p. 379, without specifying the translator, Textarchiv - Internet Archive .