O Holy Night
Notes
Written by Eruyá Þorondil, in 2025. provided here under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). Retrieved on 2025-12-28. See VL post at https://hymnary.org/text/o_holy_night_the_stars_are_brightly_shin.
Translation of the Christmas song "Cantique de Noël", originally written as the poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau (1847), with music composed by Adolphe Adam. The English version, differing significantly in parts, and which forms the basis of the Quenya translation, is by John Sullivan Dwight (1855). This translation omits the second verse of the Cappeau and Dwight versions.
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【1】 A airë lómë
► O holy night
【3】 A airë lómë, i éli cálar calimë,
► O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
【4】 I lómë ná yá Yésus né nóna.
► It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
【5】 Andavë cainë ambar úcarissë ar morniëssë,
► Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
【6】 tenna lélines ar farinyë feän.
► Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
【7】 Walmë estelwa, lumba ambar alarya,
► A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
【8】 an enta oryeä winya anar.
► For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
【9】 Á laita, á hlarë valar lírar
► Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
【10】 A lómë aina yá hristo ná nóna.
► O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
【11】 A lómë aina, a lómë aina.
► O night divine! O night, O night divine!
【13】 Naitië ñolyanes melë quen exenna
► Truly He taught us to love one another;
【14】 Þanyerya melmë ar mentarya rainë.
► His law is love and His gospel is peace.
【15】 Limili racuvas an i mól hánolva ná
► Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother;
【16】 Ar esseryanen ilya naitië teluva!
► And in His name all oppression shall cease.
【17】 Airilíri alassevë ómalvanen lindalvë
► Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
【18】 Nai illi wessë laituva alcarin essë.
► Let all within us praise His holy name.
【19】 Hristo Heru ná, á laita se tennoio!
► Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we!
【20】 Túrerya ar alcar oialë á nyarë!
► His power and glory evermore proclaim!
【21】 Túrerya ar alcar oialë á nyarë!
► His power and glory evermore proclaim!