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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 127

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Words: Polish carol; trans. Edith M. G. ReedMusic: Polish carolTune: W Zlobie Lezy44.74.44.74

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1Infant 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,
Christ the babe is Lord of all.

2Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
Vigil till the morning new;
Saw the glory, heard the story,
Tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you,
Christ the babe was born for you.

Meter
44.74.44.74
Scripture
Luke 2:8-20

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.7.8.7.8.8.7.7 · the hymnal prints 44.74.44.74
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 91% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCBDDBB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Infant holy, infant lowly,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
For His bed a cattle stall;˘˘/˘/˘/7B
Oxen lowing, little knowing/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Christ the babe is Lord of all./˘/˘/˘/7B
Swift are winging angels singing,/˘/˘/˘/˘8D
Noels ringing, tidings bringing:˘//˘/˘/˘8D
Christ the babe is Lord of all,/˘/˘/˘/7B
Christ the babe is Lord of all./˘/˘/˘/7B

Verse 2

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Vigil till the morning new;/˘/˘/˘/7B
Saw the glory, heard the story,/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Tidings of the gospel true./˘˘˘/˘/7B
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,/˘/˘/˘/˘8D
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:/˘/˘/˘/˘8D
Christ the babe was born for you,/˘/˘/˘˘7B
Christ the babe was born for you./˘/˘/˘˘7B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.