Good King Wenceslas
Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral Lyrics
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On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know it telling:
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear the thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went,
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather.
Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Ark my footsteps my good page,
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master's step he trod,
Where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
The lyrics of Choir of Westminster Cathedral's song Good King Wenceslas tell the story of a king's benevolent act on the feast of Stephen. The king, Wenceslas, looked out of the window on a cold winter night and saw a poor man gathering winter fuel. He called for his page and they set off to find the struggling man. The page is hesitant due to the harsh weather, but the king encourages him to follow in his footsteps and find warmth in the act of helping others. After they reach the man, the king orders that he is given flesh and wine, and they all sit together to share a meal.
The song highlights the importance of giving to those in need and how even a small act of kindness can bring warmth to the coldest of nights. It also emphasizes the connection between Christian values and helping those who are less fortunate. The lyrics end with a message that those who bless the poor will find blessings themselves.
Overall, the song is a beautiful and heartwarming story that reminds us of the power of human kindness and how a small act can make a significant impact on those in need.
Line by Line Meaning
Good King Wenceslas looked out
Good King Wenceslas gazed out from his window
On the feast of Stephen,
It was the day after Christmas, the feast of Saint Stephen
When the snow lay round about,
The snow covered everything in sight
Deep and crisp and even.
The snow was thick, crunchy, and level
Brightly shown the moon that night,
The moon was shining brightly that night
Though the frost was cruel,
Even though it was bitterly cold
When a poor man came in sight,
When a poor man appeared in view
Gathering winter fuel.
He was collecting firewood to keep warm
Hither, page, and stand by me.
Come here, my assistant, and stand beside me
If thou know it telling:
If you know, tell me
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Who is that peasant over there?
Where and what his dwelling?
Where does he live and what is his situation?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
My lord, he lives a mile or so away
Underneath the mountain,
He resides at the foot of the mountain
Right against the forest fence
His home is located right next to the forest boundary
By Saint Agnes fountain.
It's located near Saint Agnes' well
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Fetch me meat and wine
Bring me pine logs hither.
Bring some pine logs over here
Thou and I will see him dine
We will join him for dinner
When we bear the thither.
When we deliver these items to him
Page and monarch, forth they went,
The assistant and the king set out
Forth they went together
They departed simultaneously
Through the rude wind's wild lament
They struggled against the howling wind
And the bitter weather.
And the harsh cold climate
Sire, the night is darker now,
My lord, it's much darker now
And the wind blows stronger.
The wind has grown even more intense
Fails my heart, I know not how.
My heart is failing me, and I don't know why
I can go no longer.
I can't continue anymore
Ark my footsteps my good page,
Follow my footsteps, my loyal assistant
Tread thou in them boldly:
Step confidently in my tracks
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
You will find that the harshness of winter
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
Won't affect you as severely
In his master's step he trod,
The assistant followed in his master's footsteps
Where the snow lay dented.
Where the snow was impacted by his master's steps
Heat was in the very sod
The ground itself seemed to radiate warmth
Which the saint had printed.
Because the saint had walked there, it was blessed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
As Christians, let us be certain
Wealth or rank possessing,
Whether we are rich or poor
Ye who now will bless the poor
Those of us who choose to bless the less fortunate
Shall yourselves find blessing
Will receive blessings in return
Lyrics © Starshine Music, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TONY ALLEN, DONIE CASSIDY, MICK FOSTER, JOHN MASON NEALE, UNKNOWN COMPOSER AUTHOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind