Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

An Advent hymn we sang in church this morning: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel is perhaps one of the best-known examples of early church plainsong, and it also exemplifies the epitome of the season of Advent. The text is drawn from a number of different Advent antiphons by unknown authors. It was translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale in 1851. Neale's original translation began, "Drawn nigh, drawn nigh, Emmanuel." Today, a variety of different versions and translations exist. The music to this hymn is adapted from plainsong, and was arranged and harmonized by Thomas Helmore in 1856 for The Hymnal Noted Part II.

The antiphons echoed in O Come, O Come Emmanuel are the "O" antiphons, a series of chants sung at vespers in the evenings leading to Christmas, in which the Church expresses her longing for the advent of the Messiah. The "O" antiphons are called such because each begins with a different title of Christ: O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex, and O Emmanuel.

The first verse of the hymn is drawn from the final of the "O" antiphons, which is itself taken from Isaiah the prophet; Isaiah 7:14 reads "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Other Scripture references include Isaiah 11:1 "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse," Luke 1:78 "The dayspring from on high has visited us," and Isaiah 22:22 "The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder."

(You may notice that the Latin and English verses do not match in order or in number; I have put in all the verses commonly found in hymnals today rather than a direct translation of each of the original Latin verses.)

Veni, veni Emmanuel,
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei Filio.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.

Veni, o Jesse Virgula;
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari
Deduc et antro barathri.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.

Veni, veni, o Oriens
Solare nos adveniens;
Noctis depele nebulas
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.

Veni clavis Davidica;
Regna reclude caelica;
Fac iter tutum superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.

Veni, veni Adonai,
Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice,
In majestate gloriae.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.


O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Oh, come, oh, come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In Ancient times once gave the law
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Oh, come, strong branch of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satans tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

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.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

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.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.