Lulajze Jezuniu ~ Polish Lullaby To Jesus
This page updated January 1, 2012
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"Lulajze" Famous Polish Christmas song inspires true story and image here and lyrics. Click here for Video performance.

NEW: Robert Strybel, expert, in Poland, has helped me here with better information. Click here to enjoy his comments and more Lyrics to the "Lulaje".


"Moja Perelko" by Elle Fagan Y2K

    Lulajze Story
On Christmas Eve, our creche, the Nativity Scene, with the manger empty was the focus of a family procession.

With Big Eyes and "Shhhh!' we tiptoed upstairs on our Mother's heels, as she searched a secret corner of our parents' room.

Turning, she opened her hands to reveal a box.

Opening the box, a lace handkerchief,

and opening the top folds of the handkerchief...
the tiny Infant Jesus figure was displayed to our delight!

The Holy Child!

Big eyes and "Shhhhh!" again...
down the stairs in single file, behind Mother, or one of us chosen to bear the Infant figure that year, and then a circle around the creche as we sang and prayed as we placed Him with reverence into the manger!

Wesoly Swiat!
A child is born! A Saviour Who Is Christ the Lord!

Once more, we begin. Once more, the Little Lord Jesus Lays Down His Sweet Head - in our lovely little manger scene - and all of us enjoying a special bonding that stayed all through the holiday! We would sing the "Lulajze" ,

and then on to Midnight Mass to share the news with friends and neighbors!
All is calm, hushed and bright,as
Mary sings her lullaby to her new baby:




Sleep Little Jesus!
(the "Lulaje" in English)

Sleep, little Jesus, my little pearl!
While Mama Comforts you, tender, caressing!

REFRAIN: Lullaby, little one, in loving arms lying,
Guarding my darling and stilling Thy crying!

Stanza 2.
When Thou awakenest, Jesus, my treasure,
Raisins and almonds I have for Thy pleasure.

REFRAIN:

Stanza 3.
High in the heavens a lovely star sees us,
But like the shining sun, is my little Jesus.

REFRAIN:

Wesoly Swiat!

THE manger scene is at Mother's still, for the observance. Our own creche displays were ok, but Mother's and the ritual so special! For and from My Mother, Albina, and loves us all, every one!
...and also dedicated to my fellow Polish choirmembers from Grammar School days, and all the mystically special Christmases we shared and helped to create!
Sto Lat!

Lulajze Jezuniu
Lullaby to Jesus (Polish)
This is the popular Polish American version.
The longer Polish one follows, with translation.


Lulajze Jezuniu, moja perelko!

Lulaj ulubione me piescidelko.

REFRAIN:
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze, lulaj!

A Ty Go, Matulu, W placzu utulaj.


2.Dam ja Ci stodkiego, Jezu, cukierku,
Rodzenkow, migdalow co mam upudetku.

REFRAIN:

3. Lulajze przyjema oczom Gwiazdeczko,
Lulaj najsliczniejsze swiata Sloneczko.

REFRAIN:

There are more stanzas,depending on the translation, like the one here, that follows. Lyrics to this version, in English, below-left.

FAME for the little tune:
The famous Polish composer and pianist, FREDERICH CHOPIN adapted it for his "Scherzo in B minor, Opus 20." Mrs. Casimir Wierzynski, wife of Chopin's finest biographer, made a literal English prose translation for Henry W. Simon, and he paraphrased it into English verse.

I wish to thank all for the special Christmas moments,and the desire to share them with others in a mode that will make them wish to do the same.



This video of the "Lulajze" is one of many you can find at YouTube.com
The small square at the bottom-right of the frame will expand the video to fill your screen, and clicking "esc" on your keyboard will put it back again.

Lulajze Jezuniu - Chloacute;r I LO im. B. Nowodworskiego w Krakowie





Merry Christmas!



I am so grateful for Christmas in America...
and it is also Christmas in Warsaw, London,Cracow, Posnan,
as well as in Killarney, Baghdad (they honor Jesus as a Prophet, and respect Him, although Muslims call Allah their God),
HoChiMinh City, Nagasaki, Sydney, Auckland...
sharing makes us one great life force,
generating enough Warmth of Spirit to keep us all just fine 'till Spring!








From Authority on Some aspects of Polish Culture, in Warsaw, Robert Strybel:

ABOUT THE SONG LYRICS:
"It is hard to speak of any one official set of lyrics.
Most are pretty much the same with minor variations.
One version in the 2nd stanza had the word "wardzseczki" instead of the more common "usteczki".
The main difference is primarily in the number of stanzas.
Here is one of the longer versions
but I'm sure if one digs around additional stanzas could be found.
editor's note: the display of the Polish lyrics with its proper accents fouls - I apologize and am hunting for an application that will ensure the page displays properly. The Polish diacritical marks make a big difference in the pronunciation and meaning of the words and are very beautiful intonations. Hope to have some improvement soon.

LULAJZE, JEZUNIU

1. Lulaj?e Jezuniu, moja pere?ko,
Lulaj ulubione me Pie?cide?ko.

REF: Lulaj?e, Jezuniu, lulaj?e lulaj!
A Ty Go, Matulu w p?aczu utulaj.

2. Zamknij?e znu?one p?aczem powieczki,
Utul?e zemdlone ?kaniem usteczki.

3. Lulaj?e, pi?kniuchny nasz Anio?eczku.
Lulaj?e wdzi?czniuchny ?wiata Kwiateczku.

4. Lulaj?e, Ró?yczko najozdobniejsza,
Lulaj?e, Lilijko najprzyjemniejsza.

5. Lulaj?e, prze?liczna oczom gwiazdeczko,
Lulaj, naj?liczniejsze ?wiata s?oneczko.

6. Matuniu kochana, ju? odchodzimy,
Ma?emu Dzieci?tku przy?piewujemy.

7. Cyt cyt cyt, ju? za?nie ma?e Dzieci?tko,
Patrz jeno, jak to ?pi niby kurcz?tko.

8. Cyt cyt cyt, wszyscy si? spa? zabierajcie,
Mojego Dzieci?tka nie przebudzajcie.

Lullaby or "Lulaj" little Jesus

1. Lulaj little Jesus, pearl most treasured,
Lulaj little Jesus, fondness unmeasured.

Refrain: Lulaj little Jesus, lulling and sighing,
And you, His Mother dear, save Him from crying.

2. Close your tear-stained eyelids, weary from weeping,
Calm your quivering lips, that keep you from sleeping.

3. Lulaj little angel, gracious and comely,
Lulaj world's flower ever so lovely.

4. Lulaj little rosebud our matchless treasure,
Lulaj little lily, source of our pleasure.

5. Lulaj little starlight gladdening our eyes,
Lulaj little sunbeam brightening the skies.

6. I'll give Baby Jesus berries all glowing,
To Mary's garden heart with Him I'm going.

7. I'll give Jesus sweetmeats, raisins and almonds,
Which I've set aside just for his enjoyment.

8. I'll give the Little One an apple most splendid.
And a mother's heart with love that's unended.


NOTE: I put the complex lyrics from Robert Strybel in Google Translate and the result was cute but not correct in places.
Fortunately, expert, Robert Strybel reviewed it and sent me this much better one.
Thank you, Truly!
I kept the Polish word "Lulaj" to hold to the sweet Polish Sound of the "cooing" to the baby.
(Lulaj is pronounced with a long u as in shoe, and a long i as in eye.
The recording above will help with pronunciation.
Of course, some playing with the English words to fit into the tune and meter is necessary fun.)

Wesoly Swiat!





ABOUT THE SONG'S BACKGROUND AND CULTIVATION:
in an email to
"Elle Fagan" IN Connecticut USA
Robert Strybel in Warsaw Poland said:

Dear Ms Fagan,
Congratulations on your Polish-themed websites. It seems a good way to popularize these traditions.

As for your query, "Lulajze, Jezuniu" (Rockabye, Little Jesus) is believed to have originated in the latter half of the 17th century, but that actual moment of its birth and authorship are buried in time. The Polish carols of that period were the work of anonymous authors, usually monks, seminarians or students.

The earliest extant text of this carol was found in a hymnal published in 1705 which is now in the collection of the Poznan Archdiocesan Archives. The text also appeared in manuscripts kept at the Cloister of the Benedictine Sisters in Staniatka: two hymnals by Gasiorowska (1754 and 1758)and the Kiernik hymnal from 1754 (the carol itself bears the date 1739).

The text also appeared in two 18th-century handwritten hymnals of the Franciscan Sisters and in one late-18th-century manuscript of the Carmelite Nuns. It appeared in print in a collection of hymnals published by the Szlichtyn Printery of Lwow in 1767 and re-issued in 1785.

"Lulajze, Jezuniu" ranks amongst Poland?s best-loved carols, and it is widely known that
  • Chopin incorporated that motif the middle segment of his Scherzo in B Minor Op. 20. But its melody has been set to different words also to carry a patriotic message.
  • It was sung by the Polish Legions fighting for Poland?s independence in the 19th century, and
  • another version was inspired by the Polish schoolchildren's strike in Wrzesnia in the early 20th century against a Prussian ban on the use of Polish at school.
  • It was also included in Jacek Kaczmarski's anti-communist "Wigilia in Siberia".

    I hope this helps.
    With best regards from Warsaw,
    Robert Strybel


    Webmaster note:
    Perhaps I can one day find a Polish font that does not get chopped up in the internet cloud -
    so please forgive places that omit the special Polish accents.
    Even my online Polish Language study program has that issue,
    so I feel less awful about it.

    If you need the formal accents for some reason, simply ask me.
    I will help get them to you.

    Please feel welcome to Find Elle Fagan with all appropriate comment or to ask questions. Email esfagan@ellefagan.com
    ellefagan.com homepage