Editing Silent Night (section)

==Translations==
In 1859, the [[Episcopal Church of the United States|Episcopal]] priest [[John Freeman Young]], then serving at [[Trinity Church (Manhattan)|Trinity Church]], New York City, wrote and published the English translation that is most frequently sung today, translated from three of Mohr's original six verses.<ref>Underwood, Byron Edward, "Bishop John Freeman Young, Translator of '{{Lang|de|Stille Nacht|italic=no}}'", ''[[The Hymn (journal)|The Hymn]]'', v. 8, no. 4, October 1957, pp. 123–132.</ref> The version of the melody that is generally used today is a slow, meditative [[lullaby]] or [[pastorale]], differing slightly (particularly in the final strain) from Gruber's original, which was a "[[Grave (music)|moderato]]" tune in {{music|time|6|8}} [[Time signature|time]] and [[siciliana]] rhythm.<ref>Meredith Ellis Little (2001). [http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.25698 ''Siciliana''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419093719/http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.25698 |date=19 April 2016 }}. Grove Music Online. {{ISBN|978-1561592630}}.</ref><ref>[[Gerlinde Haid]] (1994). ''Siciliano als Typus weihnachtlicher Volksmusik''. 175 Jahre "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" (in German), pp. 135–146. Salzburg.</ref> Today, the lyrics and melody are in the [[public domain]], although newer translations usually are not. 

In 1998 the Silent Night Museum in Salzburg commissioned a new English translation by Bettina Klein of Mohr's German lyrics. For the most part, Klein preserves both Young's translation and the interpretive decisions that inform his word-choices.  Yet Klein also attempts occasionally to restore Mohr's original phrasing, changing, for instance, Young's "Holy infant, so tender and mild" to Mohr's "Holy infant with curly hair" (''Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar'').  However, she continues to interpret Mohr's ''traute heilige Paar'' as referring to Mary and the baby, whereas Mohr's use of the word ''traute'' can mean "espoused," thus suggesting perhaps that the "holy pair" represents Mary and Joseph watching (picking up Mohr's ''wacht'') over the curly-haired infant/boy. <ref>[https://silent-night-museum.org/sounds/lyrics.htm "Silent night! Holy night!"], translated in 1998 by Bettina Klein, Silent Night Museum</ref>

Joseph Mohr wrote the original six verses of *Silent Night* (*Stille Nacht*) in German in 1816. Below are the verses in their original German text, as they were first penned, followed by a literal English translation for clarity. The English translations aim to preserve the original meaning and structure, though modern English versions often differ for poetic or musical reasons.
The modern English version commonly sung today (based on John Freeman Young’s 1859 translation) typically includes only three verses (1, 6, and 2, in that order) and adapts the wording for rhyme and flow, losing some of the original theological depth.

'''Original German Verses'''
1.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Alles schläft; einsam wacht  
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.  
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,  
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!  
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
2.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht  
Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,  
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’.  
Christ, in deiner Geburt!  
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
3.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,  
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,  
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn;  
Jesu in Menschengestalt!  
Jesu in Menschengestalt!
4.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Wo sich heut alle Macht  
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,  
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß  
Jesus die Völker der Welt!  
Jesus die Völker der Welt!
5.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Lange schon uns bedacht,  
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit  
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit  
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!  
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!
6.  
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!  
Hirten erst kundgemacht  
Durch der Engel Halleluja,  
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:  
Christ der Retter ist da!  
Christ der Retter ist da!

'''Literal English Translation
'''1.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
All is asleep; alone wakes  
Only the dear, most holy couple.  
Lovely boy with curly hair,  
Sleep in heavenly peace!  
Sleep in heavenly peace!
2.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
God’s Son, oh how laughs  
Love from your divine mouth,  
As the saving hour strikes us.  
Christ, in your birth!  
Christ, in your birth!
3.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
Which brought salvation to the world,  
From heaven’s golden heights,  
Lets us see the abundance of grace;  
Jesus in human form!  
Jesus in human form!
4.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
Where today all the might  
Of fatherly love poured forth,  
And as a brother graciously embraced  
Jesus the peoples of the world!  
Jesus the peoples of the world!
5.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
Long ago planned for us,  
When the Lord, freed from wrath,  
In the ancient times of the fathers  
Promised mercy to all the world!  
Promised mercy to all the world!
6.  
Silent night! Holy night!  
First announced to shepherds  
Through the angels’ hallelujah,  
It resounds loudly from far and near:  
Christ the Savior is here!  
Christ the Savior is here!
<ref>Grok search April 24, 2025</ref>

The carol has been translated into about 300 languages.<ref>Ronald M. Clancy, [[William Studwell|William E. Studwell]]. ''Best-Loved Christmas Carols''. Christmas Classics Ltd, 2000. {{page missing|date=December 2018}}</ref>