Reprise Post: Advent Carol: "Czekam na Ciebie"

 Today's reposting is a fourth edit of the original 2013 kolęda post.  The third edit, in 2020, had some nice comments.

 

Czekam na Ciebie,  "I wait for You," expresses longing and yearning for the arrival of the Savior.  The Liturgical Season of Advent is prime time for these feelings.

 

The four candles in the Advent Wreath are lit on successive Sundays of Advent. The First Sunday of Advent - the beginning of each new Liturgical Year - calls to mind the longing of the Gentiles for four thousand years to have the Commandments and the promise of Salvation extended to them. So, naturally, the First Sunday of Advent has the maximum quotient of yearning and is the most bleak. I have started out at full bleak this year, kind of stark in fact, aiming for maximum contrast S1 to S4. What do you think?

Well, at least the candle is making light! - as in the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness grasps it not. 

How does this hymn sound? In minor mode, it sounds yearning. Like this, sung by a church organist with an affecting baritone. And like this, performed in the style of a quiet folk tune.

From Nuty Religijne we can obtain the score with Polish lyrics. Click to enlarge.

  

Source for the Polish lyric is teksty.org:

Czekam na Ciebie, Jezu mój mały,
ciche błaganie, ku niebu śle.
Twojego przyjścia, czeka świat cały.
Sercem gorącym przyzywa Cię.

          I wait for You, my little Jesus,
          Silent supplication to the sky send.
          For your advent, the whole world is waiting.
          Fervent hearts call You.

 

Spójrz, tęskniony na tej ziemi,
przyjdź, o Jezu, pociesz nas!
Szczerze kochać Cię będziemy.
Przyjdź, o Jezu, bo już czas.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,
          Come, O Jesus, comfort us!
          Truly we will love You.
          Come, O Jesus, because it is already time. 

 

Usłysz Maryjo głos Twoich dzieci,
Tyś naszą Matką na każdy dzień.
O daj nam Słońce, które rozświeci,
grzechu i błędu straszliwy cień.

          Hear, Mary, the voice of your children.
          Thou art our Mother, every day.
          Give to us the Sun, that its light
          Will enshadow sin and terrible error.

 

Spójrz teskniony na tej ziemi,
daj nam Zbawcę, Dziecię Twe.
My dla Niego żyć pragniemy,
Jemu damy serca swe.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,

          Give to us the Savior, your Son.

          We for Him to be living crave,

          To Him we will give our hearts.

 

 

The Benedictines are still composing Songs of Advent, Pieśni Adwentowe. Here is a compilation of eight of them, the first being  Przyjdź, Panie, w Ciemność Mojego Domu, "Come, Lord, into the Darkness of My Home."  If you "Show More" of the first entry you will see the complete list. The original site is named Duchowa Przystań, "Spiritual Haven."

 

 

  

 

 

Reprise Post: Advent Carol: "Czekam na Ciebie"

Today's reposting is a third edit of the original 2013 kolęda post.

Czekam na Ciebie,  "I wait for You," expresses longing and yearning for the arrival of the Savior.  The Liturgical Season of Advent is prime time for these feelings.

How does it sound? In minor mode, it sounds yearning. Like this, sung by a church organist with an affecting baritone. And like this, performed in the style of a quiet folk tune.

From Nuty Religijne we can obtain the score with Polish lyrics:

Source for the Polish lyric is teksty.org:

Czekam na Ciebie, Jezu mój mały,
ciche błaganie, ku niebu śle.
Twojego przyjścia, czeka świat cały.
Sercem gorącym przyzywa Cię.

          I wait for You, my little Jesus,
          Silent supplication to the sky send.
          For your advent, the whole world is waiting.
          Fervent hearts call You.

Spójrz, tęskniony na tej ziemi,
przyjdź, o Jezu, pociesz nas!
Szczerze kochać Cię będziemy.
Przyjdź, o Jezu, bo już czas.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,
          Come, O Jesus, comfort us!
          Truly we will love You.
          Come, O Jesus, because it is already time.



Usłysz Maryjo głos Twoich dzieci,
Tyś naszą Matką na każdy dzień.
O daj nam Słońce, które rozświeci,
grzechu i błędu straszliwy cień.

          Hear, Mary, the voice of your children.
          Thou art our Mother, every day.
          Give to us the Sun, that its light
          Will enshadow sin and terrible error.

Spójrz teskniony na tej ziemi,
daj nam Zbawcę, Dziecię Twe.
My dla Niego żyć pragniemy,
Jemu damy serca swe.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,

          Give to us the Savior, your Son.

          We for Him to be living crave,

          To Him we will give our hearts.

This is a revision of the 2013 post Czekam na Ciebie.

This is edited once more for 2020.

Advent Carol: "Czekam na Ciebie"

Czekam na Ciebie,  "I wait for You," expresses longing and yearning for the arrival of the Savior.  The Liturgical Season of Advent is prime time for these feelings.

How does it sound? In minor mode, it sounds yearning. Like this, sung by a church organist with an affecting baritone. And like this, performed in the style of a quiet folk tune.

From Nuty Religijne we can obtain the score with Polish lyrics:

Source for the Polish lyric is teksty.org:

Czekam na Ciebie, Jezu mój mały,
ciche błaganie, ku niebu śle.
Twojego przyjścia, czeka świat cały.
Sercem gorącym przyzywa Cię.

          I wait for You, my little Jesus,
          Silent supplication to the sky send.
          For your advent, the whole world is waiting.
          Fervent hearts call You.

Spójrz, tęskniony na tej ziemi,
przyjdź, o Jezu, pociesz nas!
Szczerze kochać Cię będziemy.
Przyjdź, o Jezu, bo już czas.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,
          Come, O Jesus, comfort us!
          Truly we will love You.
          Come, O Jesus, because it is already time.



Usłysz Maryjo głos Twoich dzieci,
Tyś naszą Matką na każdy dzień.
O daj nam Słońce, które rozświeci,
grzechu i błędu straszliwy cień.

          Hear, Mary, the voice of your children.
          Thou art our Mother, every day.
          Give to us the Sun, that its light
          Will enshadow sin and terrible error.

Spójrz teskniony na tej ziemi,
daj nam Zbawcę, Dziecię Twe.
My dla Niego żyć pragniemy,
Jemu damy serca swe.

          Look upon this Earth with its longing,

          Give to us the Savior, your Son.

          We for Him to be living crave,

          To Him we will give our hearts.

This is a revision of the 2013 post Czekam na Ciebie.

This is edited once more for 2020.

Obyś miał Błogosławiony Adwent!

Obyś miał Błogosławiony Adwent!

We would say "May you have a blessed Advent!"  This is "So that he had (a) blessed Advent."

Obyś = so that (with a hopeful connotation);
miał = 3d person singular, past tense of mieć, to have.


So Dad would tell this joke about a guy who walks into a bar with a cat.  In Polish he says "This cat can talk."

"Baloney," say the others.

"Yes, this cat talks.  Buy me a drink and I'll prove it,"  he says.

After suitable joshing and offering of toasts, the others demand the proof.  The cat is just sitting there on the bar.

In due time, silence is achieved; the guy puts down his glass, turns to the cat, and addresses this question to him in a clear, serious, and respectful manner:  Miał Piłsudski wąsy?   (General Piłsudski he had whiskers?)

And the cat promptly and enthusiastically replies, Miał !!

Isn't that just the greatest joke ever?

All right, all right, Obyś miał Błogosławiony Adwent!  On this First Sunday of Advent, we begin preparation for the upcoming Nativity through examination of conscience, reflection on the past twelvemonth, forgiveness, and tidying up of affairs spiritual and temporal. This is also a fitting time to recall the Annunciation, celebrated as a feastday every April but recalled now.  The first hymn in the hymnal is therefore Archanioł Boży Gabryjel.  That 12/19/17 post includes various performances in Youtube video, as well as my amateur translation of five verses.

Here is the Spiewnik kościelny, ("Songs of church," hence sacred songs, hymns) in format for a church organist. This volume belonged to our JPZ.

12" x 8"

Wielbij duszo moja Pana I would give as "My soul adore my Lord."

First hymn of the Liturgical Year

What I find satisfactory is listening to a performance while following verses and translations in the 2017 post Archanioł Boży Gabryjel. 

Archangel Gabriel, Luca Signorelli, c1450-1523

 

Obyś wszyscy mieliście Błogosławiony Adwent!  (May you all have a blessed Advent!)

Archanioł Boży Gabryjel

Gabriel, Archangel of God is the first carol in the śpiewnik. Its place in the hymnal is a sign of its importance and popularity for the Season of Advent.

Verse 1 of 5 begins the narrative with an exciting opening.

Archanioł Boży Gabryjel,

Posłan do Panny Maryi.

          

               Archangel of God Gabriel,

               Envoy to Lady Mary.

Z majestatu Trójcy Świętej,

tak sprawował poselstwo k'niej:

               From the majesty of the Holy Trinity,

               Thus delivered the messenger, to her:

Zdrowaś Panno, łaskiś pełna,

Pan jest z Tobą, to rzecz pewna.

          

               Hail Lady, of Grace full,   (i.e., Hail Mary, full of Grace. . .)

               The Lord is with Thee, that thing is true (i.e., for sure!)

These Archangels are a big deal! They are the warriors who fought and defeated Lucifer himself, way back at the beginning. Yet we need not fear them; they're on our side. And so the hymn can be performed in a way that sounds like a comforting folksong:

Verse 2 describes her perfectly understandable reaction:

Panna się wielce zdumiała,
z poselstwa, które słyszała.

          The Lady was very surprised (astounded),

               By the message that she heard.

Pokorniuchno się skłoniła,
jako Panna świątobliwa;

       

               Meekly she bowed,

               Like a sainted Lady;

zasmuciła się z tej mowy,
nic nie rzekła Aniołowi.

        

               She was overcome by this message,

               She said nothing to the Angel.

Here it is again in another key, with a fire in the fireplace and snow falling outside.

Now that we are all steady, we can go on the the big news in Verse 3. This warrior angel has the wisdom to speak with kindness to a mortal woman.

Ale poseł z wysokości,
napełnion Boskiej mądrości,

      

               But the messenger from Above (from on high)

               Full of Divine wisdom,

 rzekł Jej: "Nie bój się, Maryja,
Najszczęśliwszaś Panno miła; -

  

               Said to her: "Do not fear, Mary,

               You are the happiest blessed Lady;

   nalazłaś łaskę u Pana,
oto poczniesz Jego Syna."

     

               You have found grace with the Lord,

               Here you will conceive His Son."

In Verse 4, Gabriel gives particulars.

Jezus nazwiesz imię Jego,
będzie Synem Najwyższego -

               "Jesus you will call the name of Him (i.e., You will call his name Jesus)

               He will be the Son of the Supreme Being - 

wielki z strony człowieczeństwa,
a niezmierny z strony Bóstwa.

               great on the part of humanity (i.e., great among men)

               and immense on the part of the Deity.

Wieczny Syn Ojca wiecznego,
Zbawiciel świata całego."

               Eternal Son of the Eternal Father,

               Savior of the whole world."

               

In Verse 5, we leave the narrative and sing as the Chorus, directly to God. Thus the volume is cranked up for the finale in which the faithful respond to the retelling of the story.

Bogu Ojcu Wszechmocnemu,
Synowi Jego miłemu

               To God the Father Almighty,

               To His Beloved Son

i Duchowi Najświętszemu,
Bogu w Trójcy jedynemu,

               And to the Most Holy Spirit,

               To the Triune God,  (three in one, literally)

dziękujemy w uniżności,
za ten cud Jego miłości.

               We give thanks in humility,

               For this miracle of His love.

Here is La Schola Cantorum performing Archanioł Boży Gabryjel in formal, majestic manner. Notice that the singers sing a verse, then repeat the last four lines of that verse. Up in the choir loft, serene above the rustling, coughing, and tintinabulation, they set the example of professional concentration.

May you all have a hopeful and meaningful Advent season. Pay your debts, forgive people, plan your better future behavior. I know I should. Obyś miał Błogosławiony Adwent!

Dzień Swiętego Mikołaja

The feast day of Saint Nicholas is  December 6, because Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, died on this day in AD 343.  During his lifetime he was beloved for his acts of charity  - in particular, for anonymous charity -  and to this day he is beloved  and imitated in it by Christians all over the world.

See Nicholas sneaking up to the window of the house to toss in pouches of coin, one for each of three distressed young women.  This 1425 painting by Gentile de Fabriano is in the Vatican.  The legend about this event is apparently typical of the kind of thing this man enjoyed doing.

The four weeks of Advent are sombre ones for children:  they mentally review their bad deeds of the past year, make resolutions, and review their catechism, all prior to Christmas Day. Saint Nicolas's feast day is a bit of a breather.  There are the coins in the shoes, and piernicki - gingerbread cookies.

Besides being the favorite of children, this Greek Bishop of ancient times, "Ἅγιος Νικόλαος," is patron saint of sailors.  That is why a ship is often depicted in the crook of his staff.

We've encountered the saint, in one of his many, many later manifestations, previously on Gene and Clara's.

Szczęśliwego Dzień Swiętego Mikołaja!