Puer natus est nobis

"Puer natus est nobis" is a Gregorian chant, the introit for Christmas Day. Thomas Tallis wrote a Christmas mass on the chant.

Text

The text of the antiphon is taken from Isaiah 9:6, while the psalm verse is verse 1 from Psalm 98, "Sing a new song to the Lord".
Puer natus est nobis,
et filius datus est nobis :
cuius imperium super humerum eius :
et vocabitur nomen eius, magni consilii angelus.
Cantate Domino canticum novum :
quia mirabilia fecit.
A child is born to us,
and a Son is given to us:
Whose government is upon His shoulder:
and His Name shall be called, the Angel of Great Counsel.
Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
because He hath done wonderful things.

Musical settings

The melody was used by composers as a Cantus firmus, an example being the 1554 Missa Puer natus est nobis by Thomas Tallis.