☝️ Key Points
- The song is a traditional Christmas carol that describes the joy and reverence of the birth of Jesus Christ.
- The first verse calls for singing with sweet joy and being merry. It refers to Jesus as the joy of our hearts, shining like the sun from the manger.
- The second verse expresses the singer's desire for the goodness and comfort of Jesus and asks him for guidance.
- In the third verse, the singer asks where the joys are and claims that they reach their peak where the angels sing and the bells ring.
- The third verse ends with the wish to be in that place of joy and celebration.
Interpretation
"In dulci jubilo" is a traditional Christmas carol sung in both Latin and German. The meaning of the song lies primarily in the joy and reverence of the birth of Jesus Christ.
The first verse, "In dulci jubilo, Nun singet und seid froh! Uns'res Herzens Wonne Liegt in praesepio, Und leuchtet wie die Sonne Matris in gremio. Alpha es et O. Alpha es et O.", states that we should sing and be joyful in sweet jubilation, for the joy of our hearts, that is Jesus Christ, lies in the manger and shines like the sun in his mother's lap. 'Alpha es et O' is a reference to the divine nature of Jesus, as Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and are often used to refer to God as the beginning and the end of all things.
The second verse, "O Jesu parvule, Nach dir ist mir so weh! Tröst mir mein Gemüte, O puer optime, Durch alle deine Güte, O princeps gloriae. Trahe me post te.Trahe me post te.", expresses the singer's desire to be comforted by the goodness of Jesus, the prince of glory. 'Trahe me post te' means 'Draw me after you', a request for guidance and following.
In the third verse, "Ubi sunt gaudia? Nun, nirgends mehr als da, Wo die Engel singen Die nova cantica Und wo die Schellen klingen In regis curia. Eia, wär'n wir da! Eia, wär'n wir da!", the singer asks where the joys are and answers that there is no place where they are greater than where the angels sing new hymns and the bells ring in the king's court. 'Eia, wär'n wir da' expresses the desire to be in that place of joy and celebration.