It is not a silent night today; somehow people are squeezing out enough spare time to participate in Cheetah Chase in the rain. If people think something is important enough, no matter how frivolous it actually is, they will not let time, weather, or anything else get in their way. But of course they're all too busy to participate in evangelism, outreach, fellowship, or anything else that Jesus has called them to do… and lucky for them (and their eternal souls) he doesn’t fire anyone.
But D was singing, then humming, “Silent Night,” so I had to say, “How on earth was it a silent night?… A billion angels singing ‘Glory to God in the highest’? Anyone who reads the bible can see that it was anything but silent.”
Most of the problems, I’ve since discovered, have to do with “Silent Night” being a lousy translation of “Stille Nacht.” I found a better one:
- Silent Night! Holy Night!
- All is calm, all is bright
- Round yon godly tender pair.
- Holy infant with curly hair,
- Sleep in heavenly peace,
- Sleep in heavenly peace.
- 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! Holy Night!
- Brought the world gracious light,
- Down from heaven’s golden height
- Comes to us the glorious sight:
- Jesus, as one of mankind,
- Jesus, as one of mankind.
- Silent Night! Holy Night!
- By his love, by his might
- God our Father us has graced,
- As a brother gently embraced
- Jesus, all nations on earth,
- Jesus, all nations on earth.
- Silent Night! Holy Night!
- Long ago, minding our plight
- God the world from misery freed,
- In the dark age of our fathers decreed:
- All the world redeemed,
- All the world redeemed.
- Silent Night! Holy Night!
- Shepherds first saw the sight
- Of angels singing alleluia
- Calling clearly near and far:
- Christ, the Savior is born,
- Christ the Savior is born.
It still wasn't silent. I think a better translation of “stille” is “satisfactory,” but then again I don’t know German and I’m depending on translation software. Oh well. More carol nitpicking later.