In night's deep silence (Wsrod Nocnej Ciszy) - Msgr. John E. Ronan (trans.)

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 21 December 2005, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. TONIGHT QUIET DEEP, BUT VOICE SOUND'pow' SPREADwg CLEAR. ANGEL ANNOUNCE, (role play angel) GET-UP (2h)YOU SHEPHERD. RECENTLY GOD BORN FOR (2h)YOU. FAST, GO FIND STAR SHOW PLACE IN BETHLEHEM. ||: HURRY GREET YOUR LORD. :||

2. (role play ends) THEY-rt GO-TO-ctr. THEY-rt FIND HIM-lf LIE"over time" IN MANGER. BEFORE MIRACLE HAPPEN"each" PREDICT HE-lf WILL BORN. PEOPLE AMAZED. NOW SHEPHERD GREET-lf SOFT-HEARTED. ||: SING HAPPY AWFUL*. :||

3. (role play to lf) CRAZY-FOR, WELCOME SAVIOR. WE REALLY-WANT YOU-lf ARRIVE MANY YEAR UP-TO-NOW. PEOPLE GO-TOWARDS-GOAL SEE YOU-lf. (<) KING, (>) PROPHET, WAIT"over time" FOR YOU. WE NOT WORTH SEE YOU-lf. ||: YOU-lf KING OBVIOUS. :||


Notes: SOUND'pow' - Touch ear with index finger then (2h)[S], PO down, FO away, move antisymmetrically from side to side while mouthing "pow". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - thunder.

(2h)YOU - Underlined prounouns (ME</>, YOU</>, HE) are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

SHEPHERD - SHEEP SUPERVISOR.

BETHLEHEM - "B" CITY.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

GREET - Hands alt. salute from forehead, but hands are more diagonal than a military salute.

LIE"over time" - [V], PO up, FO away, is laid in the palm of [B], PO up, FO > DS, and both hands move in a circle normal (perpendicular) to the chest.

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

MIRACLE - WONDERFUL(1x) WORK. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Miracle.

SOFT-HEARTED - HEART + (2h)[5^] descend slightly twice while closing to (2h)[O^].

CRAZY-FOR - [5:], PO > singer, FO up, is shaken slightly from side to side.

SAVIOR - SAVE AGENT.

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

UP-TO-NOW - (2h)[1^], POs down, index fingers travel up the chest on the DS until they end (2h)[1], POs > singer, FOs up.

GO-TOWARDS-GOAL - like the sign GOAL but the DH moves in a vertical circle while going towards the goal to show a constant process.

OBVIOUS - CLEAR.

Lyrics:

1. In night's deep silence clear a voice rings through: Rise up ye shepherds; God is born for you. Quickly go ye over. Seek where Bethlehem's star doth hover. Haste to greet your Lord, haste to greet your Lord!

2. They went; they found him. Babe in manger lies. Signs which foretold him seen with wond'ring eyes; to their God in homage tender words of heartfelt greeting render songs of greatest joy, songs of greatest joy.

3. Ah, welcome Saviour whom we've long desired for many long years. Man for thee aspired. Kings and prophets waited for thee. Thou this night to us unworthy, kingly dost appear, kingly dost appear.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to In night's deep silence and click on "MIDI".

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