Words: , 1882; writ­ten for a Sun­day School in St. Paul, Min­ne­so­ta, and pub­lished in The Thought of God, sec­ond ser­ies, 1894, as “Mary’s Manger-Song.”

Music: Lull­a­by (Gei­bel), .


Sleep, my little Jesus,
On Thy bed of hay,
While the shepherds homeward
Journey on their way.
Mother is Thy shepherd
And will her vigil keep:
Did the voices wake Thee?
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain

Softly sleep, sweetly sleep,
My Jesus, sleep!

Sleep, my little Jesus,
While Thou art my own!
Ox and ass Thy neighbors,
Shalt Thou have a throne?
Will they call me blessèd?
Shall I stand and weep?
Be it far, Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain

Sleep, my little Jesus,
Wonder-baby mine!
Well the singing angels
Greet Thee as divine.
Through my heart, as heaven
Low the echoes sweep
Of glory to Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain