Christmas Bells

[hotlip]

성탄의 종소리

/헨리 워즈워스 롱펠로

성탄의 날 종소리 들었네.

오랫동안 귀에 익은 캐럴이 연주되고

강렬하고 아름다운

노랫말이 되풀이되지.

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

그리고 생각하네. 그날이 오면,

온 세상 종탑에서

끊이지 않는 노래가

울려 퍼지는 모습을.

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

종소리, 노랫소리 울릴 때까지

밤낮으로 세상사는 이어졌다네.

목소리, 종소리

성스러운 노랫소리

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

그리고 저주받은 검은 포문(砲門)마다

천둥처럼 울리는 남부의 포탄 소리,

그 소리 안에

묻혀버린 성탄의 노래들.

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

마치 지진으로

무너진 벽난로처럼

폐허가 된

가정들.

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

절망 속에서 고개를 떨궜네.

“지상에는 평화가 없어.” 내가 말했지.

“강렬한 증오가

그 노래를 조롱하니까.“

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복이!

그러자 더 크고 깊게 울리는 종소리

“하나님은 죽지 않았고, 잠들지도 않았다.

악은 패배하고

선이 승리하리라.

땅에는 평화, 사람들에게는 축복과 함께.“

Christmas Bells

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

“Christmas Bells” was written in the midst of personal and societal tragedy. Two years prior to writing this poem, Longfellow’s wife was fatally burned in a fire. In 1863, at the height of the American Civil War, his eldest son joined the Union Army against his father’s wishes and was severely wounded. “Christmas Bells” expresses how material circumstances can try men’s faith in God or indeed the idea of any innate goodness in the world.

This poem was later adapted and set to music in 1872 by John Baptiste Calkin, whereupon it became a Christmas standard. In 1956, composer Johnny Marks composed a new melody for the song which was then recorded by Bing Crosby, who used verses 1, 2, 6 and 7. Crosby’s version became a hit, and Marks' version has since been used for over 60 notable commercial recordings.