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Venid, venid zagales

Alonso Xuares (c. 1630-1696)

Original Text

English Translation

Original Text

Venid, venid, zagales
vereis a un Dios niño
que duerme soñando tiernos jemidos
quedito pasito no despierten
ojos que lloran dormidos

venid a ver zagales al vello amor dormido
que de los llantos sus ojos
suenan los suspiros

venid a ver estrellas en çielo anocheçido
que mientras duermen dos soles truecan exerciçios

quedito pasito
no despierten ojos que lloran dormidos

venid a ver influxos En astros escondidos
que con las luzes que ocultan rinden alvedrios

venid a ver los ojos en llanto humedeçidos
que de las perlas que vierten siembran dos impireos

quedito pasito
no despierten ojos que lloran dormidos

English Translation

Come, shepherds, come!
You’ll see God as an infant
who sobs so softly while so deep in dreams.
Gently, now, gently! Don’t waken
the eyes that weep while asleep.

Come, shepherds, look on this love so lovely,
whose eyes from their weeping
utter sighs, though He’s sleeping.

Come see tear-drops falling that glisten like stars
in a midnight-dark sky while two suns are sleeping.

Gently, now, gently!
Don’t waken the eyes that weep while asleep.

Come, feel the pull of stars hidden from sight;
to those lights that lie hiding the strongest must yield!

Come now and gaze on those eyes wet with weeping;
from the pearl-drops that fall are born two new heavens.

Gently, now, gently!
Don’t waken the eyes that weep while asleep.

This piece was performed by the SFBC in A Candlelight Christmas from Spain and the New World on December 16, 2000.