"Sweep hearth and floor; Be all your vessel's store Shining and clean. Then bring the little guest And give Him of your best Of meat and drink. Yet more Ye owe than meat. One gift at your King's feet Lay now. I mean A heart full to the brim Of love, and all for Him, And from all envy clean." (Translation by Miss Anne Macdonell, in "Sons of Francis," 372.) [17] "Full of beauty stood the Mother, By the Manger, blest o'er other, Where her little One she lays. For her inmost soul's elation, In its fervid jubilation, Thrills with ecstasy of praise." (Translation by J. M. Neale.) [18] "A spotless Rose is blowing, Sprung from a tender root, Of ancient seers' foreshowing, Of Jesse promised fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light Amid the cold, cold winter, And in the dark midnight. The Rose which I am singing, Whereof Isaiah said, Is from its sweet root springing In Mary, purest Maid; For through our God's great love and might The Blessed Babe she bare us In a cold, cold winter's night." (Translation by C. Winkworth, "Christian Singers," 85.) [19] The tune is often used in England for Neale's carol, "Good Christian men, rejoice." [20] "When Jesus Christ was born, then was it cold; in a little crib He was laid. There stood an ass and an ox which breathed over the Holy Child quite openly. He who has a pure heart need have no care." [21] "Dearest mother, take care of the Child; it is freezing hard, wrap Him up quickly. And you, old father, tuck the little one up, or the cold and the wind will give Him no rest. Now we must take our leave, O divine Child, remember us, pardon our sins. We are heartily glad that Thou art come; no one else could have helped us." [22] "The Child is laid in the crib, so hearty and so rare! My little Hans would be nothing by His side, were he finer than he is. Coal-black as cherries are His eyes, the rest of Him is white as chalk. His pretty hands are right tender and delicate, I touched Him carefully. Then He gave me a smile and a deep sigh too. If you were mine, thought I, you'd grow a merry boy. At home in the kitchen I'd comfortably house you; out here in the stable the cold wind comes in at every corner."