Mizerna, cicha“ ("Miserable, Quiet") is a traditional Polish Christmas carol written by Teofil Lenartowicz in 1849. The original melody was composed by Jakub Wrzeciono in the 19th century, but nowadays the best-known version was composed by Jan Gall around the year 1900.[1][2]

Lyrics

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The song originally had 11 verses[3] of which people nowadays typically sing four or five,[4] which are listed below.

Original Polish lyrics
(1849 Lenartowicz)
Literal translation English lyrics
(2008 Jill Gallina)
© ASCAP
English lyrics
(2019 Ion Mittler)
CC BY-SA 4.0
English lyrics

(2023, Jakub Gad-Ślusarz)

Mizerna, cicha,
stajenka licha
pełna niebieskiej chwały.

Oto leżący,
przed nami śpiący
w promieniach Jezus mały.

A poor and quiet
humble stable
full of heavenly glory:

Here rests
in front of us, sleepy
and radiant, the small Jesus.

Only a manger
bed for the stranger,
rocked in a ...



Humble and quiet
forgotten stable
full of heavenly glory:

At this late moment
guests were able
to rest from their journey.

Quiet and feeble,
this meagre stable
brimming with heavenly glory

Here, He lies sleeping,
peaceful, unweeping
glittering Jesus Holy

Nad nim anieli
w locie stanęli
i pochyleni klęczą.

Z włosy złotymi,
z skrzydła białymi
pod malowaną tęczą.

Angels above him
stopped flying
and bowed on their knees.

With golden hair,
with white wings,
under a colourful rainbow.

Heavenly angels
around the shepherds
on their knees are bowing,

golden hair shining,
white wings glowing
over the Child are bending.

Angels allying,
stop in their flying,
they kneel down in prayer

Gold and white-feathered,
banded together
under a rainbow layer

I oto mnodzy,
ludzie ubodzy
radzi oglądać Pana.

Pełni natchnienia,
pełni zdziwienia
upadli na kolana.

And here there are many
poor people, who
ask to look at the Lord.

Full of surprise,
full of astonishment
they fell on their knees.

Out in the village
people now gather,
to come and see the Newborn.

Seeing this mirage,
they start to wonder,
might this be Divine Lord?

Poor people gather,
sister and brother
all glad to see our Saviour

What inspiration!,
what animation!,
all of them kneel in candour

Wielkie zdziwienie:
wszelkie stworzenie
cały świat orzeźiony.

Mądrość Mądrości,
Światłość Światłości
Bóg - człowiek tu wcielony!

A great surprise:
all creation,
the whole world gets renewed:

Wisdom from wisdom,
light from light,
God born as man here.

Works of mercy,
signs of glory
everywhere will be heard:

Wisdom, kindness,
light in darkness
He will bring to our world.

What great elation!,
what great creation!
all of the world has garnered

Wisdom of Wisdom,
Radiance of Radiance,
here lies God incarnate!

Oto Maryja,
czysta lilija
przy niej staruszek drżący.

Stoją przed nami,
przed pastuszkami
tacy uśmiechający.

Here is Mary,
a pure lily,
with her trembling old man:

They stand before us,
in front of the shepherds,
smiling so.

Dear Virgin Mary,
the purest lily,
and by her side Joseph gleaming

stand here before us –
the shepherd chorus,
both of their kind faces beaming

References

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  1. ^ Mizerna, Cicha, Stajenka Licha, opoka.org.pl
  2. ^ Mizerna cicha stajenka, dziedzictwo.ekai.pl
  3. ^ Mizerna, cicha, spiewnikreligijny.pl
  4. ^ Koledy Mizerna cicha, teksciory.interia.pl
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