I saw three ships

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I Saw Three Ships ( I saw three ships on the sea / Three ships came across the sea ) is a popular traditional Christmas carol from England .

The earliest printed version is from the 17th century , possibly from Derbyshire , and it was also published by William B. Sandys in 1833. The text speaks of three ships sailing to Bethlehem .

text

English translation
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the bells on Earth shall ring,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the bells on Earth shall ring,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the angels in Heav'n shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the angels in Heav'n shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Then let us rejoice amain,
On Christmas day in the morning.
I saw three ships on the sea
on christmas day, on christmas day,
I saw three ships on the sea
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
And what was in the ships
on christmas day, on christmas day,
And what was in the ships
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
Our Savior Christ and Mary,
on christmas day, on christmas day,
Our Savior Christ and Mary,
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
Tell me where did all these ships go
on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?
Tell me where these ships all sailed to
early in the morning on Christmas Day?
Oh, they sailed to Bethlehem
on christmas day, on christmas day,
Oh, they sailed to Bethlehem
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
And all the bells on earth will ring
on christmas day, on christmas day,
And all the bells on earth will ring
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
And all the angels in heaven will sing
on christmas day, on christmas day,
And all the angels in heaven will sing
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
And all souls on earth will sing
on christmas day, on christmas day,
And all souls on earth will sing
early in the morning on Christmas Day.
Let us all rejoice aloud
on christmas day, on christmas day,
Let us all rejoice aloud
early in the morning on Christmas Day.

Edits

There are numerous arrangements and recordings of this song. An arrangement by Martin Shaw is included in the Oxford Book of Carols . The Carols for Choirs includes an arrangement by David Willcocks . The organist Simon Preston and former director of the choir of King's College of Cambridge Philip Ledger have also written arrangements, at the ceremony of the choir Nine Lessons and Carols has been listed in recent years. The drum rhythm of the attackers in Black Water Bay in the TV series "Game of thrones" is also borrowed from this song.

Web links

References and footnotes

  1. ↑ Cecil James Sharp (2008) The Morris Book: With a Description of Dances as Performed by the Morris Men
  2. ↑ But the closest body of water, the Dead Sea , is over 20 km away: "The reference to three ships is thought to originate in the three ships that bore the purported relics of the Biblical magi to Cologne Cathedral in the 12th century." (en.wikipedia, article: I Saw Three Ships , according to: hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com )
  3. ↑ en.wikisource.org
  4. ↑ see also sound examples
  5. ↑ The Oxford Book of Carols (1928) p.36.