The Lamb

The Lamb ( the Lamb ) is a poem by the English poet and artist William Blake ( 1757-1827 ), which in his Songs of Innocence ( Songs of Innocence ) in 1789 was first released. In various musical settings, it is also known as the Christmas song ( Carol ).

The Lamb is the counterpart to Blake's poem The Tyger ( The Tiger) from his Songs of Experience ( Songs of Experience). Blake wrote his Songs of Innocence as a counterpart to the Songs of Experience - core themes of his philosophy and his work.

As in many of Blake's works is Christianity in the center of the poem. The lamb is a metaphor for Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John the Baptist ( John 1:29 LUT) (Jn 1,29 EU) is also referred to as the " Lamb of God " / " Lamb of God ".

The poem has a simple rhyme scheme: AA BB CC DD AA; AA EF GG FE AA. It consists of two stanzas of ten lines with the refrain of "Little Lamb who made thee? / Dost thou know who made ​​thee? " ( " Little lamb, who made ​​you? / Do you know who made ​​you ?"). In the first stanza, the speaker asks the lamb who his creator, the answer is at the end of the poem. It provides a description of the properties of the Lamb, which is considered as a pure and gentle nature. In the second stanza, a comparison of the Lamb with the Child Jesus and between the lamb and the good soul of the speaker is done. In the last two lines the speaker identifies the creator: God.

Like the other Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience ( Songs of Innocence and Experience ) The Lamb should be originally sung well, Blake's original melody is now lost.

The English composer Vaughan Williams has it set to music as a song, even though he said, " a poem that I hate this horrible little lamb " (. "That horrible little lamb - a poem did I hate" ) Also, by the American poet Allen Ginsberg ( 1970 ) and the English composer John Tavener (1982 ) it was set to music.

Text

The Lamb Little lamb, who made thee? Does thou know who made ​​thee, Gave thee life, and bid thee feed By the stream and o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright; Gave thee seeking a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice? Little lamb, who made thee? Does thou know who made ​​thee? Little lamb, I'll tell thee; Little lamb, I'll tell thee: He is called by thy name, For He calls Himself a Lamb. He is meek ​​, and He is mild, He Became a little child. I a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by His name. Little lamb, God bless thee! Little lamb, God bless thee!

The Lamb Little lamb, who made ​​you? Do you know who created you? Gave you life, asked you: devour! On river and on the pasture? Gave you a beautiful dress, A softest dress, woolly, white; Were you such a gentle voice, Which makes the valleys happy? Little lamb, who made ​​you? Do you know who created you?

Little Lamb, I 'll tell you, Little Lamb, I 'll tell you: He is named after you, For He calls himself a lamb. He is a good man, he is mild, He was even a small child. I, a child, and you, a lamb, We are both named after him. Little Lamb, God bless you! Little Lamb, God bless you!