This night is the eve of the great Nativity,
Born is the Son of Mary the Virgin,
The soles of His feet have reached the earth,
The Son of glory down from on high,
Heaven and earth glowed to Him,
All hail! let there be joy!
'Tis frenzy blind,
'Tis witlessness, 'tis madness wild
- Since still to deathward all life tends -
To be unfriends with Mary's child.
Mór báis mor baile
mór coll ceille mor mire
olais airchenn teicht do écaib
beith fo étoil maíc maire.
attrib. to the Irish Saint Siadhal (Sedulius), 5th century
Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus
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