Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris explained

"Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris"
Type:	Carol
Image Upright:	1.4
Translation:	"Between the ox and the grey donkey"
Genre:	Christmas carol
Language:	French

"Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris" (Between the ox and the grey donkey), also known as "Le sommeil de l'enfant Jésus" (The sleep of baby Jesus) is a French Christmas carol. One of the oldest extant carols, it has been dated to both the 13th and the 16th centuries.^[1]

The supposed presence of the two animals at the birth of Jesus may have its origin in the Book of Isaiah chapter 1 verse 3: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider."^[2]

Tunes

Traditional melody^[3]

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Version by François-Auguste Gevaert:^[4]

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Lyrics

Entre le bœuf et l'âne grisdort, dort, dort le petit fils.Refrain:Mille anges divins, mille séraphinsvolent à l'entour de ce grand dieu d'amour.

Entre les deux bras de Mariedort, dort, dort le fruit de vie.Refrain

Entre les roses et les lysdort, dort, dort le petit fils.Refrain

Entre les pastoureaux jolisdort, dort, Jésus qui sourit.Refrain

En ce beau jour si solennelDort, dort, dort l'Emmanuel.RefrainBetween the ox and the grey donkeysleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little son.Refrain:A thousand divine angels, a thousand seraphimfly around this great God of love.

Between the two arms of MarySleeps, sleeps, sleeps the fruit of life.Refrain

Between the roses and the lilies,Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little son.Refrain

Amidst the gentle shepherdsSleeps, sleeps Jesus who smiles.Refrain

On this beautiful, so solemn daySleeps, sleeps, sleeps Emmanuel.Refrain

Notes and References

1. Web site: «Christmas hits»: les chansons incontournables de Noël JOL Journalism Online Press. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131231013507/http://www.jolpress.com/christmas-hits-chants-de-noel-love-actually-cantiques-chansons-article-823642.html. 2013-12-31.
2. Web site: ISAIAH 1:3 KJV "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.".
3. https://www.liederprojekt.org/lied41651-Entre_le_boeuf_et_lane_gris.html "Entre le boeuf et l'âne gris"
4. http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/sleep_of_the_infant_jesus.htm "The Sleep of the Infant Jesus"