Carol of the Bells: The Ukrainian Carol

“But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah,

though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,

yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” ~ The Book of Micah, 5:2

 

 Video courtesy of: VitaliyGR ~ YouTube

Hark how the bells,

Sweet silver bells,

All seem to say,

“Throw cares away!”

“Christmas is here!”

Bringing good cheer,

To young and old,

Meek and the bold.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

That is their song,

With joyful ring,

All caroling.

One seems to hear,

Words of good cheer,

From ev'rywhere,

Filling the air.

 Video courtesy of: LeGrand Music Studio ~ Vimeo

Oh how they pound,

Raising the sound,

O'er hill and dale,

Telling their tale.

Gaily they ring,

While people sing,

Songs of good cheer,

“Christmas is here!”

“Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas! ”

“Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas! ”

Onward they send,

On without end,

Their joyful tone,

To ev'ry home.

  Video courtesy of: Gilda Tabarez ~ YouTube

Hark how the bells,

Sweet silver bells,

All seem to say,

“Throw cares away!”

“Christmas is here!”

Bringing good cheer,

To young and old,

Meek and the bold.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

That is their song,

With joyful ring,

All caroling. 

Video courtesy of: Mormon Tabernacle Choir ~ YouTube

One seems to hear,

Words of good cheer,

From ev'rywhere,

Filling the air.

Oh how they pound,

Raising the sound,

O'er hill and dale,

Telling their tale.

Gaily they ring,

While people sing,

Songs of good cheer,

“Christmas is here!”

“Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!”

“Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!”

Onward they send,

On without end,

Their joyful tone,

To ev'ry home.

(Originally composed as “Shchedryk” in 1916 by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych, 1877-1921)

(English lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky, 1902-1978 ~ 1936)

 

Video courtesy of: Megan Smith ~ YouTube

And the angel said unto them,

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord.” ~ The Gospel of St. Luke, 2:10-11

● Happy Holidays ●



Magnificat: The Canticle of Mary

 

 

 

 

Annunciation

(Painting by Pietro Perugino ~ ca. 1489: Fano Altarpiece)

Image courtesy of: WikiPaintings

 

 

 

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent

from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,

of the house of David;

and the virgin's name was Mary.

 

 

And the angel came in unto her, and said,

Hail, thou that art highly favoured,

the Lord is with thee:

blessed art thou among women.

 

 

 

The Cestello Annunciation

(Painting by Sandro Botticelli ~ ca. 1489-90)

 Image courtesy of: Terminartors

 

 

 

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying,

and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her,

Fear not, Mary:

for thou hast found favour with God.

 

 

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,

and bring forth a son,

and shalt call his name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest:

and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

 

 

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever;

and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

 

Video courtesy of: VitaliyGR~ YouTube

 

 

Then said Mary unto the angel,

How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her,

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,

and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:

therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee

shall be called the Son of God.

 

 

And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth,

she hath also conceived a son in her old age:

and this is the sixth month with her,

who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

 

 

And Mary said,

Behold the handmaiden of the Lord;

be it unto me according to thy word.

And the angel departed from her.

 

 

  

Video courtesy of: Migwelli ~ YouTube

 

 

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

 

 

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him

from generation to generation.

 

 

 

The Annunciation

(Painting by Joos van Cleve ~ ca. 1525)

Image courtesy of: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

 

 

He hath shewed strength with his arm;

he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats,

and exalted them of low degree.

 

 

He hath filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath holpen his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy;

As he spake to our fathers,

to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

 

(The Gospel of St. Luke, 1:26-38 | 1:46-55)

  

  

Video courtesy of: Gloria Christo ~ YouTube

 

 

 

 

The Annunciation

(Painting by Leonardo da Vinci ~ ca. 1472)

Image courtesy of: Uffizi Gallery