Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her,ich bring euch gute neue Mär,der guten Mär bring ich so viel,davon ich singn und sagen will.Euch ist ein Kindlein heute gebornvon ein Jungfrau auserkorn,ein Kindlein so zart und fein,das soll eur Freud und Wonne sein.Es ist der Herr Christ, unser Gott,er will euch führn aus aller Noth,er will eur Heiland selber sein,von allen Sünden machen rein.Er bringt euch alle Seligkeit,die Gott der Vater hat bereit,daß ihr mit uns im Himmelreichsollt leben nun und ewiglich.So merket nun das Zeichen recht,die Krippen, Windelein so schlecht,da findet ihr das Kind gelegt,das alle Welt erhält und trägt.Des laßt uns alle fröhlich seinund mit den Hirten gehn hinein,zu sehn, was Gott uns hat beschert,mit seinem lieben Sohn verehrt.Merk auf, mein Herz, und sieh dort hin,was liegt dort in dem Krippelein?Wer ist das schöne Kindelein?Es ist das liebe Jesulein.Bis willekomm, du edler Gast,den Sünder nicht verschmähet hast,und kommst ins Elend her zu mir,wie soll ich immer danken dir?Ach Herr, du Schöpfer aller Ding,wie bist du worden so gering,daß du da liegst auf dürrem Gras,davon ein Kind und Esel aß.Und wär die Welt vielmal so weit,von Edelstein und Gold bereit,so wär sie doch dir viel zu klein,su zein ein enges Wiegelein.Der Sammet und die Seiden deindas ist grob Heu und Windelein,darauf du, König groß und reich,hersprangt, als wärs dein Himmelreich.Das hat also gefallen dir,die Wahrheit anzuzeigen mir,wie aller Welt Macht, Ehr und Gutvor dir nichts gilt, nichts hilft noch thut.Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein,mach dir ein rein sanft Betteleinzu ruhen in meins Herzens Schrein,daß ich nimmer vergesse dein.Davon ich allzeit fröhlich sei,zu springen, singen immer freidas rechte Susaninne schonmit Herzenslust den süßen Ton.Lob, Ehr sei Gott im höchsten Thron,der uns schenkt seinen eingen Sohn,des freuen sich der Engel Scharund singen uns solchs neues Jahr.Dr. M. Luther, 1535.
My prose translation:
From Heaven above, I come here,I bring a good new story to you,I bring so much of the good storyOf which I want to sing and say.To-day to you is a little Child bornOf a chosen virgin,A little Child so gentle and fine,Who should be your joy and delight.It is the Lord Christ, our God,He wants to lead you out of all misery,He wants to be your Savior Himself,To make [you] clean from all sins.He brings to you all salvationThat God the Father has prepared,So that you with us in HeavenShould live now and eternally.So see now the sign rightly,The manger, swaddling clothes so poor,There you find laid the ChildWho preserves and carries the whole world.Therefore let us all cheerful beAnd go inside with the shepherdsTo see what God has given to usWith His dear honored Son.Pay attention, my heart, and look over thereWhat lies there in the manger?Who is the beautiful little Child?It is the dear Jesus.By way of welcome, You noble guestHave not spurned the sinner,And have come into misery here to me,How should I ever thank You?Oh Lord, You Creator of all things,How are You become so smallThat You lay there on dry grassOf which a child and donkey ate.And were the world many times as wide,Prepared with jewels and gold,Then would it yet be much too small for You,A narrow cradle.Your velvet and silkThat is rough hay and swaddling clothes,On which You, great and rich King,Came forth, as if it were Your Heaven.It has thus pleased YouTo announce the truth to me,As the might, honor, and good of all the worldAre worth nothing before You, nothing helps nor acts.Oh, my dear Jesus,Make for Yourself a clean, soft little bedTo rest in the shrine of my heartSo that I never forget Yours.About this may I always be happyTo jump, sing always freelyThe right Susaninne evenWith gusto the sweet tone.Praise, honor be to God on the highest throne,Who gives to us His only Son,Therefore the host of angels rejoicesAnd sings of such a new year to us.Dr. M. Luther, 1535.
I'm not too confident in my translation of "Bis willekomm" as "By way of welcome," but it's the best I could come up with.
"Dry grass / Of which a child and donkey ate" doesn't make much sense, but I couldn't find a translation for "Kind" other than "child." Unless this means the donkey's child, but I think that would be a different word.
I'm not very confident in my translation of "das rechte Susaninne schon / mit Herzenslust den süßen Ton" as "The right Susaninne even / With gusto the sweet tone." I don't know what Susaninne is (and an internet search didn't reveal anything helpful), and I couldn't find a good translation of "Herzenslust."
This hymn appears as "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#85), Lutheran Worship (#37 and extending into #38 "Welcome to Earth, O Noble Guest"), and The Lutheran Service Book (#358). In all of these and as the Gesangbuch notes, the text is sung to "its own melody." Here's the TLH arrangement: