Now the Joyful Bells A-Ringing

I fear I'm not quite Welsh enough to be allowed to post this New Year carol, but it's so jolly that I couldn't resist! The words are based on the Welsh New Year secular carol 'Nos Galan', of which a better-known Englishing is 'Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly' (here's a link in case you've forgotten the tune). This lacks all the fa-la-la-la-la-ing, but I prefer it. (Though it's a little worrying that one is encouraged to sheathe the sword at New Year, but let's hope it's metaphorical...)


Now the joyful bells a-ringing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Lift our hearts like birds a-winging,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Now our festal season, bringing
Kinsmen all to bide and board,
Sets our cheery voices singing;
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

Dear our home as dear none other;
Where the mountains praise the Lord!
Gladly here our care we smother;
Where the mountains praise the Lord!
Here we know that Christ our brother
Binds us all as by a cord:
He was born of Mary mother
Where the mountains praise the Lord!

Cold the year, new whiteness wearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Peace, good will to us a-bearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Now we all the New Year sharing
Break the bread and sheath the sword:
Bright our hearths the signal flaring,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!