1. Quanno nascette Ninno a Bettelemme, Era notte e parea mmiezo juorno! Maje le stelle Lustere e belle Se vedettero accussì! La chiù lucente Jette a chiammà li Magi, in Oriente. 2. No n'cerano nemice ppe la terra, La pecora pascea co lo lione, Co le crapette Se vedette Lo liopardo pazzia: L'urzo e o vitiello, E co lu lupo 'npace u pecoriello. 3. Guardavano le pecore li pastore; E l'angelo, sbrennente chiù de lu sole, Comparette, E le dicette: Nò ve spaventate, nò! Contento e riso: La terra è arrenventata Paradiso!

1. When Christ our Lord was born at Bethlehem afar, Altho' 't was night, there shone as bright as noon a star: Never so brightly Never so whitely Shone the stars, as on that night! The brightest star went Away to call the Wise Men from the Orient. 2. There were no foes on Earth, or warfare blazing, Beside the lion then the sheep was grazing, Safe by the leopard Wander'd the shepherd With the bear the calf did play, The wolf so savage Would not the tender lamb molest or ravage 3. While shepards in the fields their flocks were tending, A shining angel came from heav'n descending; When he beheld them, Straightway he told them: Hear my voice, be not afraid! Be glad, rejoice, now, For Earth has all become like Paradise, now!

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Marzo, Eduardo. Songs of Italy; sixty-five Tuscan, Florentine, Lombardian and other Italian folk- and popular songs. New York: G. Schirmer, 1904. 144

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