O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel is a translation of the Catholic Latin text ("Veni, veni, Emmanuel") by John Mason Neale in the mid-19th century. It is a metrical version of a collation of various Advent Antiphons (the acrostic O Antiphons), which now serves as a popular Advent and Christmas hymn. Its origins are unclear, it is thought that the antiphons are from at least the 8th Century, but "Veni, veni Emmanuel" may well be 12th Century in origin. 

The text is based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign of a virgin bearing a son who will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us). Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Source: Wikipedia

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

And drive away the shades of night

And pierce the clouds and bring us light!

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times once gave the law

In cloud, and majesty, and awe. 

Latin Original

Veni, Veni Emmanuel!

Captivum solve Israel!

Qui gemit in exsilio,

Privatus Dei Filio.

[Chorus]

Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel

Nascetur pro te, Israel.

Veni, O Jesse virgula,

Ex hostis tuos ungula,

De specu tuos tartari

Educ et antro barathri.

Veni, Veni O Oriens!

Solare nos adveniens,

Noctis depelle nebulas,

Dirasque noctis tenebras.

Veni, Clavis Davidica,

Regna reclude caelica,

Fac iter tutum superum,

Et claude vias inferum.

Veni, Veni Adonai!

Qui populo in Sinai

Legem dedisti vertice,

In Majestate gloriae.

Veni, O Sapientia,

Quae hic disponis omnia,

Veni, viam prudentiae

Ut doceas et gloriae.

Veni, Veni, Rex gentium,

veni, Redemptor omnium,

Ut salvas tuos famulos

Peccati sibi conscios.