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Away In A Manger
Engelbert Humperdinck Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

Engelbert Humperdinck's song "Away in a Manger" is a moving and meditative Christmas carol that is popular worldwide. The first stanza of the song focuses on the infant Jesus lying in a manger, with no crib to contain him. The warm and gentle imagery evoked by the lyrics of a baby in a manger is powerfully evocative for many Christians, representing the humility and vulnerability of Christ's humanity.


The second and third stanzas of the song concern the infant's sleep and the gentle sounds of the stable animals near him. The lines "The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes/But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes" showcase the peaceful qualities of Christ's early life, while the final lines of the song emphasize the singer's conviction that Christ will always be with them, watching over them and blessing them, as well as all children under his care until we are called home to heaven.


Humperdinck's interpretation of the Christmas classic "Away in a Manger" imbues it with tender sentiment and has remained a favorite of many who enjoy the peace and serenity of the holiday season.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger,
A place without luxury or comfort was the birthplace of Jesus Christ


No crib for His bed
The son of God, born in humble conditions, was not placed in a comfortable bed


The little Lord Jesus
The newborn child, who is also the son of God


Laid down His sweet head
Christ rested his head in the manger where he was placed


The stars in the bright sky
The heavens themselves were witness to the birth of Jesus Christ


Looked down where He lay
The brightest stars in the sky watched from above where Jesus slept.


The little Lord Jesus
The infant son of God


Asleep on the hay
Jesus was sleeping on a bed of hay


The cattle are lowing
The animals nearby are making sounds


The poor Baby wakes
The newborn child wakes up after hearing the sounds of nearby animals


But little Lord Jesus
Despite waking up, the baby Jesus remained calm


No crying He makes
Jesus did not cry despite waking up


I love Thee, Lord Jesus
The singer expresses their love for Jesus


Look down from the sky
The singer is asking Jesus to observe them from the heavens


And stay by my side,
The singer is asking Jesus to remain close to them


'Til morning is nigh.
The artist is asking Jesus to remain there until the morning arrives


Be near me, Lord Jesus,
The artist asks Jesus to stay near them


I ask Thee to stay
The singer is requesting Jesus to stay with them


Close by me forever
The singer wants Jesus to always be near them


And love me I pray
The artist is asking Jesus to love them


Bless all the dear children
The artist asks Jesus to bless all children


In Thy tender care
The artist acknowledges that Jesus will provide loving care for children


And take us to heaven
The singer wants to be taken to heaven by Jesus


To live with Thee there
The artist expresses their desire to live in the presence of Jesus in heaven




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Traditional

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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