Sleep, Jesus, Sleep

As the days grow dark and the nights cold, one can easily find solace in the familiar maternal love of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her loving and soothing words, ‘Sleep Jesus, Sleep’ comes to us here from Ukrainian composer and military chaplain Yosyp Kyshakevych. Born in 1872 in Leżajsk, Kyshakevych dedicated his life to both sacred and secular choral music.

‘СПИ, ІСУСЕ, СПИ’ or ‘Sleep, Jesus, Sleep’ paints the profound and touching experience of motherhood, and Kyshakevych’s composition captures the solemnity and depth of Jesus asleep in a manger being lulled by His mother’s voice.

We are proud to present this special tribute featuring Ukrainian soprano Alina Ilchuk, while also pausing to reflect on the ongoing courage and determination of the Ukrainian people in their fight against incursion.

Text:

1. Спи, Ісусе, спи, спатоньки ходи.
Spy, Isuse, spy, spaton’ky chody.
Sleep, Jesus, Sleep

Я Тебе му колисати,
Ya Tebe mu kolysaty
I will rock you

Пісeньками присипляти.
Pisen’kamy prysypliaty
I’ll sing you songs

Спи, Ісусе, спи, маленький,
Spy, Isuse, spy malen’kyj
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one

Спи, серденько, спи.
Spy, serden’ko, spy.
Sleep, my heart, sleep

2. Спи, Лелійко, спи, головку склони.
Spy, Leliyko, spy, holovku sklony
Sleep, baby, sleep, lean your head

Тu на рученькax Марії,
Ty na ruchen’kach Mariyi
On Mary’s hands

Бач, Вона Тебе леліє:
Bach, Vona Tebe lelije
See, she is cuddling you

Спи, Ісусе, спи, маленький,
Spy, Isuse, spy malen’kyj
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one

Спи, серденько, спи.
Spy serden’ko, spy.
Sleep, my heart, sleep

3. Спи, Убогий, спи, рученьки зложи.
Spy, Ubohuy, spy, ruchen’ky zlozhy
Sleep, poor baby, sleep, fold your tiny hands

Йосифа, щe не видати,
Yosyfa shche ne vydaty,
Joseph, is not here yet

Несе хлібця Тобі дати:
Nese xlibtsya Tobi daty:
He comes to give you some bread

Спи, Ісусе, спи, маленький,
Spy Isuse, spy malen’kyj
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, sleep little one

Спи, серденько, спи.
Spy, serden’ko, spy.
Sleep, my heart, sleep.

4. Спи, Терпінє, спи, очка зажмурu.
Spy, Terpinnje, spy, ochka zazhmury.
Sleep, Patience, spy, close your eyes

Не питай, що колись буде,
Ne pytaj, shcho kolys’ bude
Don’t ask what will happen in the future

Що зготовлять Ти хрест люди.
Shcho zhotovlyat’ Ty chrest lyudy
That people will make you a cross

Спи, Ісусе, спи, маленький,
Spy, Isuse, spy malen’kyj
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one.

Спи, серденько, спи.
Spy, serden’ko, spy.
Sleep, my heart, sleep

5. Спи, Ісусе, спи, a Серце втвори,
Spy, Isuse, spy, a sertse vtvory,
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, but open your heart

Най при Ньому спочиваю
Naj pry njomu spochyvaju
Let me relax next to it

Тут на землі і там в раю
Tut na zemli I tam v rayu
Here, on earth, and there in heaven

Спи, Ісусе, спи, маленький,
Spy, Isuse, spy malen’kyj
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one.

Спи, серденько, спи.
Spy, serden’ko, spy.
Sleep, my heart, sleep

*Translation and transliteration by Alina
Ilchuk.