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At the New Year lyrics and meaning

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Ant meto naujo, apsiliejo krauju; o kas, kas? Žiedas lelijos, Panos Marijos, Sūnelis. Žiedas lelijos, Panos Marijos, Sūnelis. Gul kudikėlis, kaip avinėlis; o kur, kur? Ant šieno kieto, tenai Jam vieta, aprinkta. Ant šieno kieto, tenai Jam vieta, aprinkta. Jautis pažino, Poną garbino; o kaip, kaip? Jį šildydami ir priklaupdami ant kelių. Jį šildydami ir priklaupdami ant kelių. Sargeliai bandos štai išsigandot; o dėl ko? Jog jus judina, Aniuols budina, tarydams: Jog jus judina, Aniuols budina, tarydams: Greitai, broleliai, bėkit, vaikeliai; o kur, kur? Tenai, kur vysto Panelė čystą Sūnelį. Tenai, kur vysto Panelė čystą Sūnelį. Bėgk prasčiokėli, nešk, piemenėli; o ką, ka? Vienas purplelę, kits karvelėlę vaikeliui. Vienas purplelę, kits karvelėlę vaikeliui. Birb birbinėlėms, švilp švilpinėlėms; dėlko tai? Idant verkentį, vargus kententį linksmintų. Idant verkentį, vargus kententį linksmintų. Aniuolai tada, greit balsą leido; o kokį? Dievui aukštybėj garbė, žemybėj pakajus. Dievui aukštybėj garbė, žemybėj pakajus. Karaliai jojo, karūnas klojo; o kur, kur? Po Karaliūno guldo karūną kojelių. Po Karaliūno guldo karūną kojelių. Dangaus linksmybes junt ir žemybės; o iš ko? Jog gelbėtojas, Išganytojas užgimė. Jog gelbėtojas, Išganytojas užgimė. Gied Aniuolėliai, gied piemenėliai; o kaip kaip? Būk pagarbintas, Panos gimdytas Berneli. Būk pagarbintas, Panos gimdytas Berneli.Amen.

Meaning

This hymn can be understood as a Christmas hymn of Christ's birth, recounting the events of Bethlehem. The question-and-answer form, "and who, who?" and "and where, where?," gives it a lively, almost staged character typical of older Christmas hymns. The Son of the Virgin Mary is called a lily blossom, pointing to Mary and the newborn Christ.

The hymn follows the traditional Nativity story: the infant lies on hard hay like a lamb; the ox recognizes and worships the Lord; the shepherds are frightened; and the angels awaken them and send them to the place where the Virgin swaddles her pure Son. The lamb and ox are familiar signs of Christian Christmas iconography.

The ending proclaims the angels' hymn, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth," a Lithuanian equivalent of the Latin Gloria, and the adoration of the kings as they lay down their crowns. The whole text may be read as solemn praise of the Savior's birth. This is a religious hymn, so its meaning is relatively explicit rather than merely possible.

Symbols

Lily blossom
In Christian symbolism, the lily marks purity and the Virgin Mary. Here the phrase names Mary's Son.
Lamb
The lamb is a traditional symbol of Christ, marking innocence and sacrifice. The infant is compared to a lamb lying on hay.
Ox
The ox and other animals are familiar figures of the Nativity scene. In the hymn, the ox recognizes and worships the newborn Lord.
"Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth"
A Lithuanian rendering of the angels' Gloria. The phrase proclaims glory to God and peace on earth.

History

"At the New Year" is a Christmas hymn of Christ's birth, connected by function with the winter-festival and calendar-ritual repertoire. Its question-and-answer structure, with repeated prompts such as "and who, who?," "and where, where?," and "and how, how?," gives it a lively, nearly dramatic character typical of older Christmas hymns, while the narrative follows the Bethlehem events from the child's birth to the praise of angels and kings.

Because this is a religious calendar hymn, its content is clearly Christian rather than folkloric-mythic. The page does not state the exact place or time at which this variant was recorded. The stanzas weave in traditional signs of Christmas iconography, including the lamb, ox, shepherds, and angels' song, and the line "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth" corresponds to the Latin Gloria.

Sources