Song of the Week, Part 1: Bruce Cockburn's "The Huron Carol"

Throughout the month of December, the "Song of the Week" feature of this weblog is taking you around the candles of the Advent Wreath.

The first candle was to remember the hope of the prophecies of Christ's coming. The second candle was to remember the faith and obedience through which the prophecies were fulfilled. The the third candle was lit to remember the invitation that was extended--and accepted--the first Christmas.

Today we light the fourth candle. The fifth, and central, candle, is lit on Christmas Day. I will upload another song on that day to complete our Advent Wreath series on "Song of the Week."

The fourth candle is lit to keep us mindful of seekers drawn to the meaning of Christmas. Matthew's Gospel recalls the Magi from the East who came with gold, incense and myrrh to worship the new King. It's a fascinating account of seekers who acted on what little knowledge they had in order to find Christ that first Christmas. It's my prayer that every Advent season I'll be able to discuss Jesus with the wise men who still seek him.

Today's song is sung by Bruce Cockburn from one of my favorite holiday albums, Christmas (iTunes). It's traditionally called "The Huron Carol," the first Canadian Christmas carol. It was written in the 1600s by a Jesuit missionary to the Huron. Be sure to read the English translation that follows. Lyrics are from the Cockburn Project website:

Ehstehn yayau deh tsaun we yisus ahattonnia
O na wateh wado:kwi nonnwa 'ndasqua entai
ehnau sherskwa trivota nonnwa 'ndi yaun rashata
Iesus Ahattonnia, Ahattonnia, Iesus Ahattonnia

Ayoki onki hm-ashe eran yayeh raunnaun
yauntaun kanntatya hm-deh 'ndyaun sehnsatoa ronnyaun
Waria hnawakweh tond Yosehf sataunn haronnyaun
Iesus Ahattonnia, Ahattonnia, Iesus Ahattonnia

Asheh kaunnta horraskwa deh ha tirri gwames
Tishyaun ayau ha'ndeh ta aun hwa ashya a ha trreh
aundata:kwa Tishyaun yayaun yaun n-dehta
Iesus Ahattonnia, Ahattonnia, Iesus Ahattonnia

(instrumental)

Dau yishyeh sta atyaun errdautau 'ndi Yisus
avwa tateh dn-deh Tishyaun stanshi teya wennyau
aha yaunna torrehntehn yataun katsyaun skehnn
Iesus Ahattonnia, Ahattonnia, Iesus Ahattonnia

Eyeh kwata tehnaunnte aheh kwashyehn ayehn
kiyeh kwanaun aukwayaun dehtsaun we 'ndeh adeh
tarrya diskwann aunkwe yishyehr eya ke naun sta
Iesus Ahattonnia, Ahattonnia, Iesus Ahattonnia

TRANSLATION -- "Jesus, He is Born"

Have courage, you who are human beings:
Jesus, he is born
The okie spirit who enslaved us has fled
Don't listen to him for he corrupts
the spirits of our thoughts
Jesus, he is born

The okie spirits who live in the sky
are coming with a message
They're coming to say, "Rejoice!
Mary has given birth. Rejoice!"
Jesus, he is born

Three men of great authority
have left for the place of his birth
Tiscient, the star appearing over the horizon
leads them there
That star will walk first
on the path to guide them
Jesus, he is born

The star stopped not far
from where Jesus was born
Having found the place it said,
"Come this way"
Jesus, he is born

As they entered and saw Jesus
they praised his name
They oiled his scalp many times,
anointing his head
with the oil of the sunflower
Jesus, he is born

They say, "Let us place his name
in a position of honour
Let us act reverently towards him
for he comes to show us mercy
It is the will of the spirits
that you love us, Jesus,
and we wish that we may be adopted
into your family
Jesus, he is born.

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Do you have some favorite Christmas music? Join the conversation I started last year at Operation Christmas Shoes! The player for this song can be found on the upper right corner of the weblog until Christmas Day, when it be changed to play the last song of this Advent Wreath series.