O come, all ye faithful - John Francis Wade, translated by William T. Brooke

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 19 August 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

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

1. COME-ON (2h)YOU FAITH HAVE. HAPPY, WHY? CONQUER DEATH.
COME-ON (2h)YOU COME-TO-ME. VISIT BETHLEHEM HON.INDEX-lf.
COME-ON SEE-FOR-SELF HON.INDEX-lf. RECENTLY BORN, NOW KING RULE ANGEL SCADS-OF.

Refrain: ||: (3 times) COME-ON, WE SHOULD WORSHIP HIM. :|| CHRIST, OUR LORD.

2. TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD. LIGHT FROM LIGHT FOREVER.
SEE HOW HE-lf WILLING BORN FROM VIRGIN.
SON FROM HEAVENLY-FATHER. GET-FROM-God, NOT MAKE FROM NOTHING. Refrain

3. GO-AHEAD SING YOU@rt ANGEL SCADS-OF. GO-AHEAD SHOW"all" THRILL.
GO-AHEAD SING YOU@rt ANGEL LIVE HEAVEN FAR-AWAY-rt. GLORY GOD POSS. TOP* GLORY ADVANCED. Refrain

4. SEE HOW SHEPHERD (2h)4-CL'stand in circle & look down at cradle' BED~(2h)3-CL'cradle'.
LEAVE@rt SHEEP SCADS-OF. WHY? GOD SUMMON"each".
WE REALLY-WANT SAME-AS-us SEE-FOR-SELF BABY JESUS. Refrain

5. LOOK-LOOK-LOOK-rt STAR LEAD WISE MEN. THREE-OF-THEM@rt GO-TO-lf WORSHIP-lf.
OFFER-TO-lf TWO KIND INCENSE, (<) BITTER, (>) SWEET PLUS GOLD.
OUR HEART WE BRING-TO-lf CHRIST CHILD. LAY-DOWN@lf, BOW-DOWN-lf. Refrain

6. HON-INDEX-lf HELP-us WILL. DOESN'T-MATTER POOR, SLEEP MANGER HUMBLE.
WE REALLY-WANT HUG YOU. SHOW-you LOVE PLUS AWE.
YOU LOVE US SO-MUCH, HOW CAN WE REFUSE? Refrain

7. YES, LORD WE (2h)alt.GREET-lf YOU. HAPPY BORN THIS MORNING.
JESUS, WE RECOGNIZE ALL GLORY YOURS.
WORD FROM HEAVENLY-FATHER, NOW BECOME HUMAN FOR US. Refrain


Notes: COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

BETHLEHEM - "B" CITY. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Bethlehem.

SEE-FOR-SELF - [1] touches under eye while head moves down.

SCADS-OF - (2h)[5:], POs down, FOs away, move forward to show many beings.

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

TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD - The first TRUE GOD is italicized to show that it is done with the NDH.

HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH - held against forehead, NDH close to but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards. HEAVEN may be added to this. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Heavenly Father - 1.

GET-FROM-God - like the sign GET but directed upwards to God.

GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.

SCADS-OF - (2h)[5:], POs down, FOs away, move forward to show many beings.

FAR-AWAY - [1], twists while moving away with tongue shuttling from side to side. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Far.

ADVANCED - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards arcing towards the signer. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Exalted.

(2h)4-CL'stand in circle & look down at cradle' - (2h)[4], POs away, FOs up, are held close together at chest level then hands separate and come together while moving away to describe a horizontal circle, then the FT dip down as if everyone - looking at the Christ Child in the middle.

BED~(2h)3-CL'cradle' - BED + immediately sign (2h)[3], POs ><, FOs away, rock back and forth like the sides of a rocking cradle.

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

SEE-FOR-SELF - [1] touches cheek under eye and finger and head nod down slightly.

LOOK-LOOK-LOOK-rt - the sign LOOK > rt plus mouth "looklooklook".

INCENSE - NDH [1], PO > signer, FO up, - held somewhat low, DH produces SMELL, then [5^], PO down, starts at end of incense stick and circles upwards like smoke.

LAY-DOWN@lf - (2h)[B], POs up, FOs > lf move as if placing something at the Christ Child's feet.

HELP-us - the sign HELP which moves > signer.

MANGER - (2h)[V], POs ><, FOs up, interlock fingers.

AWE - (2h)[S], POs ><, FOs up, fingers wg open to (2h)[5:] and close to (2h)[S] again at eyes with awed facial expression.

SO-MUCH - (2h)[5:], POs ><, FOs up, separate with effort while mouthing "so much".

(2h)alt.GREET-lf - (2h)[Bb] alt. touch temple and move upwards slightly in a salute.

ALL - (2h)[B^], POs up, FOs ><, DH circles around NDH and lands on its palm. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Whole.

Lyrics:

1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels!

Refrain: O come let us adore Him, (3 times) Christ the Lord.

2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin�s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

4. See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

5. Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts� oblations.

6. Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

7. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to Christmas sing: O come, all ye faithful.

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