Genre Christmas carol Language French | Occasion Christmas Based on Isaiah 1:3 | |
English "Between the Ox and the Grey Donkey" | ||
"Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris" ("Between the Ox and the Grey Ass") is a French Christmas carol. One of the oldest extant carols, it has been dated to both the 13th and the 16th centuries.
The supposed presence of the two animals at the birth of Jesus may have its origin in the Book of Isaiah chapter 1 verse 3: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider."
==Translation==
Between the ox and the gray donkey
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps small son
A thousand divine angels, seraphim thousand
Fly round about this great god of love.
Between the two arms of Mary
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the fruit of life
A thousand divine angels, seraphim thousand
Fly round about this great god of love.
Between roses and lilies
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps small son
A thousand divine angels, seraphim thousand
Fly round about this great god of love.
Between the beautiful shepherd
Sleeps, sleeps, Jesus smiling
A thousand divine angels, seraphim thousand
Fly round about this great god of love.
On this beautiful day so solemn
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps Emmanuel
A thousand divine angels, seraphim thousand
Fly round about this great god of love.
==English version==
<poem>Between the ox and the grey ass
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little son,
A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphim
Fly around this great God of love.
Between the two arms of Mary
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the fruit of life,
A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphim
Fly around this great God of love.
Between the roses and the lilies,
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little son,
A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphim
Fly around this great God of love.
Amidst the gentle shepherds
Sleeps, sleeps Jesus who smiles,
A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphim
Fly around this great God of love.
On this beautiful, so solemn day
Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps Emmanuel,
A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphim
Fly around this great God of love.
Alternate English Version