O Come, O come, Emmanuel

Words: Latin c. 12th cent. 
Stanzas 1,2 translated John M. Neale, 1851, 1853, Stanza 3 trans. Henry S. Coffin, 1916.

Music:      Plain song chant, 13th cent.
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  1.  O come, O come, Emmanuel,
      And ransom captive Israel,
      That mourns in lonely exile here
      Until the Son of God appear.

   Refrain
      Rejoice! Rejoice!
      Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

  2.  O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
      Our spirits by Thine advent here;
      Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
      And death's dark shadows put to flight.

   Refrain

  3.  O come, Desire of nations, bind
      In one the hearts of all mankind;
      Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
      And be Thyself our King of Peace.

   Refrain

Note: the original had many other verses. Here are four of them:

      O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
      Who orderest all things mightily;
      To us the path of knowledge show,
      And teach us in her ways to go.

   Refrain

      O come, O come, great Lord of might,
      Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
      In ancient times once gave the law
      In cloud and majesty and awe.

   Refrain

      O come, Thou Root of Jesse's tree,
      An ensign of Thy people be;
      Before Thee rulers silent fall;
      All peoples on Thy mercy call.

   Refrain


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