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Liputan6.com, Jakarta When Christmas comes, music fills the air. From modern hits like “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to festive classics like “Jingle Bell Rock,” songs help bring families together during the holiday season. Yet among them all, one carol stands out as truly timeless, “Silent Night.”
For many people, Christmas doesn’t feel complete without hearing “Silent Night” sung softly in church, by a choir, or even around the family tree at home. The song carries a sense of peace and comfort that has touched hearts for generations.
The carol was first written in German with the title “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht.” Later, it was translated into English and spread around the world as a symbol of Christmas.
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Silent Night Lyrics in English
Verse 1
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Verse 2
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Verse 3
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
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Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht Lyrics (German Version)
Verse 1
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Verse 2
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Verse 3
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
History of Silent Night Lyrics
The story of “Silent Night” began in Austria in the early 1800s. A young priest named Joseph Mohr wrote a poem in 1816 while living in a small village called Mariapfarr. Two years later, he moved to another town called Oberndorf, where he served at the church of St. Nicholas.
On Christmas Eve in 1818, Mohr wanted music for the midnight service. The church organ was not working, so he asked his friend Franz Xaver Gruber, a schoolteacher and organist, to write a melody for his poem. Gruber quickly composed the tune, and that same night the carol was sung for the first time with just voices and a guitar.
Years later, the song was translated into English by John Freeman Young, an Episcopal priest in New York. His version was published in 1859 and included three verses from Mohr’s original six. This translation helped the carol spread to English-speaking countries and made it one of the most beloved Christmas songs in the world.
“Silent Night” is also an example of how one song can spread peace even in the middle of war. On Christmas Eve in 1914, during World War I, soldiers from both sides sang this carol in their own languages. This moment created a spontaneous ceasefire, now remembered as the Christmas Truce. In 2011, UNESCO declared “Silent Night” an intangible cultural heritage, showing how important this song is for the whole world.
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