1. O Jesus Christ,
   My paradise
   Thy manger is, where feeds my soul delighted:
   Before mine eyes
   The Word now lies
   Who to our flesh in person is united.

2. Whom wind and sea
   Obey, e’en He
   As sinners’ Servant comes, a lowly Pilgrim.
   Thou, God’s own Son,
   Art man become
   Of earth and clay, like us and all our children.

3. Thou, highest Good,
   Dost raise our blood
   Unto Thy throne, high o’er all heights whatever.
   Thou endless Might
   A brother’s right
   Hast giv’n us, who like grass and flowers wither.

4. How can the Foe
   Now work us woe,
   Though full of gall and poison be his spirit?
   What charge can he
   Bring unto me
   And others who did Adam’s fall inherit?

5. Silence, thou fiend!
   There sits my Friend,
   My flesh and blood, to highest heav’n uplifted.
   What thou dost smite
   The Prince of might
   From Jacob’s stem with honors high hath gifted.

6. His health and light
   Make all things right;
   His heav’nly joy all earthly ill undoeth.
   Joy’s endless Well,
   Immanuel,
   The devil, hell, and all their pow’r subdueth.

7. So, Christian heart,
   Whoe’er thou art,
   Be of good cheer, let nothing e’er depress thee,
   For God’s dear Son
   Makes thee His own,
   God shall prove true to thee and ever bless thee.

8. Now think and see
   How gloriously
   He over all distress on high hath borne thee,
   Nor doth He pour
   On angels more
   Than He doth with His blessedness adorn thee.

9. Lo! seest thou
   Before thee now
   Thy flesh and blood, who air and clouds rules ever.
   What can there be,
   I ask of thee,
   That thee to fear and woe could e’er deliver?

10. Things oft affright
    Thy feeble sight
    And make thee sigh as consolations vanish;
    Come hither, then,
    Behold again
    Christ’s manger here, and all misgivings banish.

11. Though plagued with care,
    Yet ne’er despair!
    Thy Brother ne’er thy misery disdaineth;
    His gracious heart
    Feels ev’ry smart,
    Nor when He sees our woe, from tears refraineth.

12. To Him now go,
    He shall bestow
    His help and rest; good cause hast thou for blessing.
    Full well He knows
    What burns and glows,
    What burden on each ailing heart is pressing.

13. For this He bore
    The wrath so sore
    Upon the cross within His flesh unshrinking,
    That through His pain
    He might retain
    The mem’ry of the woes in which we’re sinking.

14. The Gate is He
    That leadeth me
    To present joy and everlasting blessing.
    He soon doth send
    A happy end
    To all that hard on pious hearts is pressing.

15. The world’s vain wealth
    Leave to itself,
    Make only sure this treasure thine remaineth,
    Firm in thy grip,
    Nor let it slip:
    A crown for body and for soul it gaineth.

O Jesu Christ, dein Kripplein ist
Paul Gerhardt, 1653
Tr. John Kelly, alt.