Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
About Away in a Manger
Away in a Manger first appeared in print in America in the 1880s, in songbooks for Lutheran Sunday schools. For many years it was wrongly said to have been written by Martin Luther for his children, and no one knows for certain who wrote the words.
In Britain it is usually sung to Cradle Song, a tune by William James Kirkpatrick from 1895, while American churches often use a different tune called Mueller. Its simple words make it a staple of school nativity plays.
Away in a Manger is traditional and out of copyright, so the words are free to print and sing at school, at church or at home. For printable sheets, download our free carols and activities pack (PDF).