O holy night! - Placide Clappeau, translated by John S. Dwight, Adolphe C. Adam

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 28 August 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. TONIGHT HOLY "TERRIBLE". STAR (2h)5:-CL'dotting the sky' BRIGHT*.
TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE "WHAT"? OUR SAVIOR BORN.
ALL-ALONG* PEOPLE HERE EARTH SIN"over time" (2h)alt.MAKE-MISTAKE.
HIT* HE-Jesus ARRIVE, PEOPLE FEEL PROUD CAN.
THRILLED, HAVE HOPE. PEOPLE BURDENED-WITH SIN CELEBRATE.
WHY? OUR WORLD BECOME WONDERFUL* THROUGH HIM-Jesus.
COME-ON GET-ON-KNEES"each" (2h)#ALL. PAY-ATTENTION-TO-Heaven, ANGEL THEY-'in Heaven' SING.
TONIGHT HOLY "TERRIBLE". WHY? TONIGHT CHRIST FINISH BORN.
TONIGHT, "WOW" HOLY "TERRIBLE". TONIGHT GOD HIS SPECIAL NIGHT.

2. FAITH SHINE-DOWN, INSIDE-SELF PEACE, WE FOLLOW INDEX-light.
NOW WE STAND"over time" NEXT-TO MANGER OUR HEART HEART-THROBwg.
ALSO STAR GUIDE WISE MEN FAR-AWAY EAST.
COME BETHLEHEM, SEE WORLD NEW MESSIAH.
KING SUPREME LIE"over time" LOWLY MANGER.
HE-Jesus OUR FRIEND ANY TIME WE SUFFER TEMPTED.
HE-Jesus KNOW OUR NEED. WE WEAK, HE-Jesus GIFT-TO-us STRENGTH.
||: SEE HIM-Jesus YOUR KING. APPROACH, BOW-DOWN DEEP. :||

3. TRUE~BIZ HE-Jesus TEACH-TO-us US LOVE EACH-OTHER.
HIS LAW SHOW LOVE. HIS GOSPEL LEAD-TO PEACE.
SLAVE HIS-lf CHAIN, JESUS BREAK. #ALL-OF-US BROTHER~SISTER.
HE-Jesus COMMAND OPPRESSION-OFF FINISH"up".
GO-AHEAD SING SWEET. WE (<) HAPPY, (>) THANK++.
EVERYTHING INSIDE-SELF WE EXPRESS. PRAISE HIS NAME HOLY.
CHRIST HIMSELF LORD. PRAISE HIS NAME FOREVER FOREVER.
||: (<) HIS POWER, (>) HIS alt.GLORY, ANNOUNCE WORLD THEREABOUTS. :||


Notes: "TERRIBLE" - (2h)[8] are held at eye level, shake, open to [open 8] and move back towards signer.

(2h)5:-CL'dotting the sky' - (2h)[5:], POs up, FO > signer, hands tap out dots in the sky to show where the stars are.

ALL-ALONG* - (2h)[1], POs down, FOs away, fingers run up the chest on DS until POs are > signer, and FOs are up.

BURDENED-WITH - FTs of (2h)[B^] tap DS shoulder.

(2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

"WOW" - [5] shakes out hand, swiveling at elbow.

SHINE-DOWN - [O^] is held high PO > signer; hands open to [5^] while moving > signer.

INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.

MANGER - (2h)[5], FOs down interlace fingers and then separate while ascending in outward arcs.

HEART-THROBwg - [O^] - held at heart PO up and FTs open and close one finger at a time but rapidly.

FAR-AWAY - [1], twists while moving away with tongue shuttling from side to side. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Far.

BETHLEHEM - "B" CITY. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Bethlehem.

MESSIAH - M-KING. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Messiah.

SUPREME - (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.

LOWLY - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move downwards arcing towards the signer. This is the opposite of the sign ADVANCED. For an animated gif of ADVANCED, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Exalted.

MANGER - (2h)[5], FOs down interlace fingers and then separate while ascending in outward arcs.

APPROACH - (2h)[B], FOs up, DH PO away, ND is held in front of NDH and palm faces it, then both hands approach one another slightly.

BOW-DOWN - (2h)[B], POs away, FOs up, are held like the final position of GIVE-UP, then bend these arms twice while bowing at waist once.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

TRUE~BIZ - TRUE + S-BUSINESS.

TEACH-TO-us - like TEACH but the movement is > the signer, not away.

#ALL-OF-US - [A], PO > NDS, FO up touches DS shoulder then [L^], PO > signer touches NDS shoulder.

OPPRESSION-OFF FINISH"up" - DH [B] lifts upwards and off from contacting [S], PO > DS while mouthing "off" and then (2h)[5], POs ><, FOs away, shake at wrists while ascending.

GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.

alt.GLORY - (2h)[5], POs ><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending, then change hands. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.

THEREABOUTS - [5], PO down, FO away, circles parllel to the floor.

Lyrics:

1. O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

2. Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger.
||: Behold your King; before Him lowly bend! :||

3. Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
||: His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim! :||

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to Christmas-Carols.net: O holy night!

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