Angeli Canunt Praecones

Here is today's Latin Christmas carol; you can read one carol per day for the month of December, or see the complete collection all at once. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a very well-known English Christmas carol, and I've found two different Latin translations online. You can find information about the English carol at the Hymns and Carols of Christmas website, along with alternate English verses plus sheet music.

Here are the two different Latin versions I found online:

Version 1 (Translated by Robert J.M. Lindsay)

Angeli canunt praecones
nuper natum Dominum,
pacem nobis, veniamque
erga genus humanum.
Gentes surgite gaudentes,
cum caelicolis canentes
Dei Filium, Regem,
natum iam in Bethlehem:
Ecce, canunt angeli gloriam novo Regi!

Christus, adoratus caelo,
in aeternum Dominus,
sero ad nos, en, advenit,
Virginis idem partus.
Homo fieri dignate,
ave, Deus incarnate!
Iesu, placuit tibi
nobiscum sic morari:
Ecce, canunt angeli Gloriam novo Regi!

Pacis o caelestis Princeps,
probitatis sol, prodis
lucem, vitam cunctis ferens
salutaribus alis.
Splendorem deposuisti,
vitam aeternam tulisti,
levaturus mortales,
ut bis natos nos praestes:
Ecce, canunt angeli Gloriam, novo Regi!

Version 2 (Translator unknown: does anyone know who the translator is?)

En canentes angeli:
"Gloria Regi infanti;
pax in terra, et Deus
concors cum mortalibus."
Laeti omnes populi,
cum caelestibus iuncti,
praedicate "Nunc Christus
est in Bethlehem natus."
En canentes angeli: "Gloria Regi infanti."

Adoratus caelitus,
Christus, semper Dominus,
serius advenit spe,
genitus e virgine.
Carne tamquam obsitus,
homo ex deo factus,
volens ut par sit honos,
commoratur inter nos.
En canentes angeli: "Gloria Regi infanti."

Salve, rex concordiae,
salve, sol iustitiae,
lumen, vitam afferens,
salutaris oriens!
Gloriam deposuit,
humilesque extuli,
immortales reddens nos,
denuo regenitos.
En canentes angeli: "Gloria Regi infanti."

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Here are the carols I have completed so far:
December 1: Rudolphus
December 2: Angelus ad Virginem
December 3: Aquifolia Ornate
December 4: A Solis Ortus Cardine
December 5: O Viri, Este Hilares
December 6: Conditor Alme Siderum

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Bolchazy-Carducci has a Latin Christmas Carol music CD! With 12 songs in Latin, O Abies: O Christmas Tree is available at amazon.com for $17.00

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