Infant Holy, Infant Lowly facts for kids

"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" is a well-known Christmas carol that many people sing during the holiday season. It originally comes from Poland and is called "W Żłobie Leży," which means "In the Manger He Lies." An English musician named Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed translated this beautiful song into English in 1920.

The Song's Journey

This carol has a long history. Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed discovered it in a Polish hymnal called Spiewniczek Piesni Koscieline, published in 1908. The song itself might be much older, possibly from the 13th century. Some people believe that a Polish writer named Piotr Skarga, who lived from 1536 to 1612, might have written the original Polish words.

The Music's Special Beat

The music of "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" has a special rhythm. It sounds a bit like a mazurka. A mazurka is a lively Polish folk dance. The famous composer Frédéric Chopin helped make this dance popular.

The song uses short, rhymed phrases. These phrases build up to a strong finish in the last lines of each verse. For example, the English version ends with powerful words like "Christ the Babe is Lord of all, Christ the Babe was born for you!"

Polish Lyrics

Here are the original Polish words for "W Żłobie Leży":

W żłobie leży! Któż pobieży
Kolędować małemu
Jezusowi Chrystusowi
Dziś nam narodzonemu?
Pastuszkowie przybywajcie
Jemu wdzięcznie przygrywajcie
Jako Panu naszemu.

My zaś sami z piosneczkami
Za wami pospieszymy
A tak Tego Maleńkiego
Niech wszyscy zobaczymy
Jak ubogo narodzony
Płacze w stajni położony
Więc go dziś ucieszymy.

English Lyrics

This is the English translation by Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed. You can find it in popular carol books like Carols for Choirs, Book 1.

Infant holy,
Infant lowly,
For His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing,
Little knowing
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging
Angels singing,
Noels ringing,
Tidings bringing,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Flocks were sleeping,
Shepherds keeping
Vigil till the morning new,;
Saw the glory,
Heard the story,
Tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing,
Free from sorrow,
Praises voicing,
Greet the morrow,
Christ the Babe was born for you!

Famous Recordings

Many choirs and musicians have recorded "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly." Some of these include:

• The Choir of St. Thomas NYC
• The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on their album Sing, Choirs of Angels! (2004)
• Choir of King's College, Cambridge
• Vocal Point on the album The Sing-Off: Songs of the Season (2011)
• Cara Dillon on the album Upon a Winter's Night (2016)
• Salisbury Cathedral Choir on their album Christmas at Salisbury (2010)
• Vancouver Chamber Choir on the album Classical Christmas (1997)
• Lorie Line on the album Home for the Holidays (1997)
• Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening on the album Angel's Glory (1996)