In Dulci Jubilo

Tune Type: Christmas Carol

Alternative Titles: ‘Good Christian Men, Rejoice’, ‘Good Christian Friends, Rejoice’, ‘Good Christian Folk, Rejoice’, ‘Good Christians All, Rejoice’

Context: It’s thought that these lyrics came to the German mystic Heinrich Seuse around the year 1328. Apparently Seuse heard angels singing these words and joined in their dance of worship! The melody dates from at least 1400, although it’s thought this tune may have existed in Europe before then. The original lyrics were macaronic, meaning that they mix two languages throughout. In Seuse’s lyrics, there is both Latin and German.  In 1837 R. L. de Pearsall translated the German sections of the carol to English; his Latin-and-English version is the most common version in the anglophone world.

In 1853, John Mason Neale produced a looser-still translation of the text, and called it ‘Good Christian Men, Rejoice’. Thomas Helmore, the music editor of the book where it was published, apparently made a mistake transcribing the melody from old-style notation (a medieval notation known as ‘mensural notation’), and added two notes after each third phrase. Neale then added the words ‘News, news’ ‘Joy, joy’ and ‘Peace, peace’ to be sung on the extra two notes. When singing this carol, I like to use the more inclusive phrase ‘Good Christian friends, rejoice’.

Lyrics of ‘In Dulci Jubilo’:

1. In dulci jubilo
Let us our homage shew
Our heart’s joy reclineth
In praesepio
And like a bright star shineth
Matris in gremio
Alpha es et O, 
Alpha es et O

2. O Jesu parvule
I yearn for thee always
Hear me, I beseech Thee
O puer optime
My praying let it reach Thee
O princeps gloriae
Trahe me post te
Trahe me post te

3. O patris caritas
O Nati lenitas
Deeply were we stained
Per nostra crimina
But Thou for us hast gained
Coelorum gaudia
O that we were there
O that we were there

4. Ubi sunt gaudia
Where if that they be not there
There are Angels singing
Nova cantica
There the bells are ringing
In Regis curia
O that we were there
O that we were there

Melody:

(The text below the title on the right refers to the source of the melody. The text below the title on the left refers to the source of the lyrics. If there is no text below the title on the left, the text on the right is the source of both the music and the lyrics.)

Lyrics of ‘Good Christian Friends, Rejoice!’:

1. Good Chris­tian men, re­joice
With heart and soul, and voice
Give ye heed to what we say
News! News! 
Je­sus Christ is born to­day
Ox and ass be­fore Him bow
And He is in the man­ger now
Christ is born to­day
Christ is born to­day

2. Good Chris­tian men, re­joice
With heart and soul and voice
Now ye hear of end­less bliss
Joy! Joy! 
Je­sus Christ was born for this
He has op­ened the heav­en­ly door
And man is blest for­ev­er­more
Christ was born for this
Christ was born for this

3. Good Chris­tian men, re­joice
With heart and soul and voice
Now ye need not fear the grave
Peace! Peace! 
Je­sus Christ was born to save
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain His ev­er­last­ing hall
Christ was born to save
Christ was born to save

Sources:

Wikipedia contributors, “In dulci jubilo,”  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=In_dulci_jubilo&oldid=1193910536 (accessed January 9, 2024).