Silent Night Lyrics

 “Silent Night” Lyrics

“Silent Night” is a well-known Christmas carol. In 1818, this popular carol was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, who was a schoolmaster and organist. The carol was written by Joseph Mohr or Josephus Franciscus Mohr, who was an Ausrrian Roman Cathlic priest.

 On Christmas Eve 1818, the song “Silent Night” was first performed at St. Nicholas parish church in a village named Oberndorf bei Salzburg in Austria. Joseph Mohr wrote the poem in 1816 at Mariapfarr where he had worked as as assistant priest.

On 24 December,1818, Joseph Mohr brought his poem  "Silent Night" to Franz Xaver Gruber and and asked him to create a melody and guitar accompaniment. Karl Mauracher was an organ builder and repair man worked at the church, took a copy of the six-verse song to his home village Zillertal. From there, the poem was was picked up and spread by two families of traveling folk singers, the Strassers and the Rainers, who performed around northern Europe.

 In 1834, the Strasser family performed the song "Silent Night" for the King of Prussia. In 1839, the Rainer family of singers first performed the carol in the US, New York City. The carol became popular in Lower Saxony by 1840 and is believed to be a favorite of Frederick William IV of Prussia.

The composition of the song “Silent Night” was translated into over 300 languages with many different arrangements. The song “Silent Night” became so famous that it was not only performed in churches but in town squares, even on the battlefield during World War I. As the original manuscript was lost, many people speculated that the melody was composed by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven.The original manuscript was discovered in 1995 in Mohr's handwriting.

Although, there are six verses in the original poem but usually sung only three verses: 1, 6 and 2. In 1859, John Freeman Young who serving at Trinity Church, New York City wrote and published the song "Silent Night" in English translation.

In 2011, "Silent Night" was declared an intangible cultural heritage.

Joseph Mohr

“Silent Night” Lyrics in English

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!

“Silent Night” Lyrics in German

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!

The 6 Verses From Original German Texts."

 Mohr's verse 1

Silent night! Holy night!
All are sleeping, alone and awake 
Only the intimate holy pair,
Lovely boy with curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Mohr's verse 2

Silent night! Holy night! 
Son of God, O how he smiles 
Love from your divine mouth, 
Then it hits us 

The hour of salvation. 

Jesus at your birth! 
Jesus at your birth! 

Mohr's verse 3

Silent night! Holy night!
Which brought salvation to the world,
From Heaven's golden heights,
Mercy's abundance was made visible to us:
Jesus in human form,
Jesus in human form.

Mohr's verse 4

Silent night! Holy night!
Where on this day all power
of fatherly love poured forth
And like a brother lovingly embraced
Jesus the peoples of the world,
Jesus the peoples of the world.

Mohr's verse 5

Silent night! Holy night!
Already long ago planned for us,
When the Lord frees from wrath
Since the beginning of ancient times
A salvation promised for the whole world.
A salvation promised for the whole world.

 Mohr's verse 6

Silent night! Holy night!
To shepherds it was first made known
By the angel, Alleluia;
Sounding forth loudly far and near:
Jesus the Savior is here!
Jesus the Savior is here!