Originally “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Christmas carol was written in Latin as Adeste Fideles by an unknown author.
There are many theories about its origins, some of them attributing the compositing to either John Francis Wade (father of Bonny Prince Charles*), John Reading, King John IV of Portugal or some anonymous Cistercian monks.
*According to some sources, including BBC it is actually a Jacobite song honoring the birth of Bonny Prince Charles.
The carol known today as “O Come, All Ye Faithful” was adapted in English in 1841 by English Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley. Originally it had only four verses, another four being added later (18th century).
“O Come, All Ye Faithful” Lyrics
“Adeste Fideles”
Lyrics
Adeste fideles læti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte
Regem angelorum:
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine
Gestant puellæ viscera
Deum verum, genitum non factum.
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Cantet nunc io, chorus angelorum;
Cantet nunc aula cælestium,
Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo,
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Ergo qui natus die hodierna.
Jesu, tibi sit gloria,
Patris æterni Verbum caro factum.
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
English Version
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels:
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
God of God, light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above!
Glory to God, glory in the highest:
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
Complete version
En grege relicto, humiles ad cunas,
Vocati pastores adproperant:
Et nos ovanti gradu festinemus,
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Stella duce, Magi Christum adorantes,
Aurum, tus et myrrham dant munera.
Iesu infanti corda præbeamus
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Æterni parentis splendorem æternum
Velatum sub carne videbimus
Deum infantem pannis involutum
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Pro nobis egenum et fœno cubantem,
Piis foveamus amplexibus.
Sic nos amantem quis non redamaret?
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Cantet nunc hymnos chorus angelorum
Cantet nunc aula cælestium,
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Venite adoremus (3×)
Dominum.
Lo! The flock abandoned, the summoned shepherds
Hurry lowly to the cradle:
May we too make haste with exultant gait!
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
A star leading, the Magi, worshipping Christ,
give gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
May we proffer our hearts to the infant Christ!
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
We shall see the eternal splendour
Of the eternal father, veiled in flesh,
The infant God wrapped in cloths.
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
May we warm him, needy and lying on hay,
With our pious embraces:
Who does not love him who loves us thus?
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.
Sing now choir of angels hymns!
Sing now halls of the heavenly!
Glory to God in the highest!
O come, let us adore Him, (3×)
Christ the Lord.