1. DURING WINTER DESERTED,
WIND COLD* COMPLAIN.
GROUND THEREABOUTS HARD LIKE METAL.
WATER LIKE STONE.
SNOW PILED-HIGH, PILED-HIGHER.
FALL-FROM-SKY CONTINUE"over time".
DURING WINTER DESERTED LONG-AGO.

2. OUR GOD BIG"cha": HEAVEN OVERFLOW;
EARTH CROWDED.
HE READY TAKE-UP CONTROL,
(<) HEAVEN, (>) EARTH, REALLY-WANT ESCAPE.
BUT BECOME MAN, LORD GOD JESUS CHRIST
SATISFIED HOUSE SMALL FOR ANIMAL
DURING WINTER DESERTED.

3. USED-TO-BE ANGEL CLOSE-TO GOD
WORSHIP HIM-lf ALL-DAY~ALL-NIGHT.
NOW ENOUGH (<) BREAST FULL MILK,
(>) MANGER FULL H-A-Y.
BEFORE ANGEL BOW-DOWN-lf.
NOW COW, MULE, CAMEL
WORSHIP HIM-lf.

4. ME GIFT-TO-lf HIM-lf "WHAT"?
MYSELF POOR.
SUPPOSE ME SHEPHERD,
ME BRING LAMB.
SUPPOSE ME WISE MAN,
ME HELP-lf DO+.
BUT ME GIFT-TO-lf "WHAT"?
MY HEART, ME GIFT-TO-lf MY HEART.

Notes: DESERTED - (2h)[open 8], POs down, FOs ><, hands move diagonally away while closing to (2h)[S] with "hup".

THEREABOUTS - [5], PO down, FO away, circles parllel to the floor. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - approximately.

PILED-HIGH, PILED-HIGHER - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs ><, are held below waist and rise a bit suddenly, and then again.

FALL-FROM-SKY - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, descend from head level with wg.

CONTINUE"over time" -CONTINUE move in repeated circle, normal (perpendicular) to chest.

OVERFLOW - [5], PO down, FO away, covers top of [S], PO > DS, FO away, and FT wiggle as the hand moves away, like a cup overflowing. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - overflow.

CROWDED - (2h)[S] press wrists together and twist like CHANGE with hunched shoulders and "zz".

HE - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

TAKE-UP - (2h)[5:], POs away, FOs up, move down quickly and close to (2h)[S], POs down, FOs away, as if grabbing hold of something, then hands ascend.

REALLY-WANT - WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.

USED-TO-BE - [5], PO > NDS, FO UP, moves in a circle normal (perpendicular) to the chest but over the DS shoulder.

WORSHIP - NDH is clasped over DH [S] and hands circle perpendicular to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Worship.

MANGER - (2h)[5], FOs down interlace fingers and then separate while ascending in outward arcs.

BOW-DOWN - (2h)[B], POs away, FOs up, are held like the final position of GIVE-UP, then bend these arms twice while bowing at waist once.

CAMEL - [B], PO down, FO away, moves > DS with an upward arc to show the hump.

GIFT-TO - (2h)[X], POs ><, FOs up, nod downwards at wrist to show that something is given as a gift.

Lyrics:

1. In the bleak midwinter,
Frosty wind made moan.
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like stone.
Snow had fallen snow on snow,
Snow on snow.
In the beak midwinter long ago.

2. Our God, Heav'n cannot hold Him,
Nor earth sustain.
Heav'n and earth shall flee away,
When He comes to reign,
In the bleak midwinter,
A stable place suffic'd
The Lord God Almighty Jesus Christ.

3. Enough for Him, whom cherubin
Worship night and day,
A breast full of milk,
And a manger full of hay.
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

4. What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part.
Yet what I can give Him,
Give my heart, give, give my heart.

To hear the music (without words), go to The hymns and carols of Christmas: A Christmas carol (In the bleak midwinter) and click on "MIDI".