Greek Version of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

I’m the kind of person who finds myself singing Christmas carols in the middle of 110-degree heat in August. I don’t condone this sort of behavior; it just happens. I especially love advent hymns that capture some of the rich themes of the Gospels. So, this year, I’ve decided to translate some of them into Koine Greek.

I just introduced O Come O Come Emmanuel to my class last week. It’s only just turned November, but we’re only learning one verse per week, so we’ll be near Christmas by the time we finish. Below I provide the English and the original Latin along with my Greek version of the hymn. I have tried to keep the basic rhyming scheme and to stick to the meaning. Let me know if you find any mistakes, or if you have any suggestions. I hope to post a recording of the song soon. Keep an eye out for other songs, as well, which I hope to post in the next couple weeks. Enjoy!

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Verse 1 (στροφή α´)
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Veni, veni Emmanuel;
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio,
Privatus Dei Filio.
ἔρχου δὴ ὦ Ἐμμανουήλ
τοῦ λυτρῶσαι τὸν Ισραήλ
ὅς ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ πενθεῖ
ἕως Μεσσίας ἐπιφαίνει

Refrain (ὁ χορός or  ὁ ἐπῳδός)
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel,
Nascetur pro te, Israel!
εὐφράν-θητε, ὅτι Ἐμμανουήλ
ἐλεύσεται πρὸς Ισραήλ.

Verse 2 (στροφή β´)
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Veni, veni, O Oriens;
Solare nos adveniens,
Noctis depelle nebulas,
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
ἔρχου δὴ ἀνατολή
φωτίσαι ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐλεύσῃ
τὸν γνόφον ἀφανίσαι
σκιὰν θανάτου ἐξᾶραι

Refrain

Verse 3 (στροφή γ´)
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Veni, Clavis Davidica!
Regna reclude caelica;
Fac iter tutum superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
ἔρχου δὴ ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ
ἀποκαλύψαι οὐράνια
ὁδὸν ζωῆς φυλάξαι
τὰς πύλας τοῦ ᾅδου κλεῖσαι

Refrain

Verse 4 (στροφή δ´)
O come to lead us Adonai,
Who to the tribes on height of Sinai
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Veni, veni Adonai!
Qui populo in Sinai,
Legem dedisti vertice,
In maiestate gloriae.
ἔρχου δὴ ὦ κύριε
ὁ δοὺς τὸν νόμον πάλαι
τῷ Ισραὴλ ἐν τῷ ὅρει
ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ πυρί

Refrain

Verse 5 (στροφή ε´)
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
(no Latin)
ἔρχου δὴ τοῦ Ἰεσσαὶ ὑιέ
τὸν λαόν σου δικαιῶσαι
σῶσαι ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ σκότους
νικῆσαι πάντας πονηρούς

Refrain