Description
A lively and expressive setting of the 16th cent. Spanish villancico [carol], for unaccompanied choir. MacDonald has the stanzas sung in unison, with the refrain given various voicings and treatments.
Text
Refrain
Ríu, ríu, chíu, la guarda ribera,
Dios guardó el lobo de nuestra cordera.
" Ríu, ríu, chíu,” says the kingfisher,
God kept the wolf from our Lamb
[Mary, spared of original sin at birth].
El lobo rabioso la quiso morder
Mas Dios Poderoso la supo defender
Quísola hacer que no pudiese pecar
Ni aun original esta virgen no tuviera.
The raging wolf wants to bite her,
but God Almighty knew to defend her;
Pure he chose to keep withoutt sin;
no original sin was found in that virgin.
Éste que es nacido es el Gran Monarca
Cristo Patriarca de carne vestido
Hamos redimido con se hacer chiquito
Aunque era infinito finito se hiciera.
This one that is born is the Great King,
Christ the Patriarch clothed in flesh.
He redeemed us by making himself small;
he was infinite but became finite.
Muchas profecias lo han profetizado
ya un en nuestros dias lo hemos alcançado
a Dios humanado vemos en el suelo
y al hombre nel cielo por qu el le quisiera.
Many prophets told of his coming,
in our own days, we know it has come ture.
God in human flesh is here with us
and man in heaven reigns because he willed it.
--16th cent. Spanish villancico
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