Cantan santos ángeles

This Christmas carol, like so many others that we typically sing throughout the holidays, pays homage to the story of Jesus and his birth in Bethlehem. This song in particular focuses on the part of the story in the Bible when the multitude of angels visited the shepherds guarding their flock in the fields, telling them of the meaning of the star and the birth of Baby Jesus.

I like this carol because it gives us some perspective from another group of individuals involved in this great event.

As you can probably imagine, this carol is extremely popular throughout the world, and as such has been translated in a number of different languages.

But since this site is all about Spanish translation, we'll skip the other translations and go directly to the Spanish version of Angels We Have Heard on High:

Cantan Santos Angeles

Cantan santos ángeles con celeste entonación;
las montañas eco dan como fiel contestación.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.

Los pastores sin cesar sus loores dan a Dios;
cuán glorioso es el sonde su melodiosa voz.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.

A Belén venid y ved al que anunciado fue,
a Jesús el Salvador, al recién nacido Rey.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.
Gloria a Dios en lo alto.

If you haven't heard this version in Spanish, you might want to listen to the carol to get an idea of how the words match up with the tune.

And now, for the English language version, just in case you want to compare the two versions with each other. The original words were actually based on a French language song, but then wasn't translated into English until the 1860s. Of course there have been different English versions throughout the years, but below is the most common one that carolers typically sing when they're at your door caroling :)

Angles We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

Here's the Chorus:

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Back to the verses:

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

See Him in a manger laid
Jesus Lord of heaven and earth;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
With us sing our Savior's birth.

Cantan Santos Angeles back to Christmas carols in Spanish.