Kersfees vir die Diere
Iewers hang 'n ster
Baie blink en baie ver
'n Planeet wat met 'n nuwe glans
Kom flonker teen die hemeltrans
Van oral kom die voëls
En die diere van die veld
Om in dié sagte lig se gloed
Vir hul seëning aan te meld
Ja, die diere hou ook Kersfees
As die ganse mensdom rus
Dan kom almal een-een nader
Om vir 'n oomblik te berus
Die leeu staan langs die lam
En die wolwe wag geduldig
Vir die skape om verby te kom
In die flikkerende lig
Die arend vou sy kloue in
Selfs die vinke word nou stil
Hou Hom dop
Wanneeer Hy nader kom
Vir die diere se ontwil
Hy glimlag vir die olifant
Tel die strepe van die tier
Gee elke os wat aan 'n juk moet beur
'n Oomblik van plesier
Hy raak aan elke mossie
Aan die knop van elke dier
Streel die rug van al die perde
Trap versigtig langs die mier
En oral waar Hy gaan
Volg die ster Hom in die hemel
Oor die vlaktes van die Groot Karoo
Wat van dierelewe wemel
Deur die woude van die trope
Volg die ster Hom waar Hy loop
En Hy elke bobbejaan en luislang
Met Sy aanraking kom doop
En dan, as dit weer lig word,
Staan elke koei, gerus, op stal
En weet - soos die ander diere -
Dat ook Hy hul lot bepaal.
Somewhere hangs a star
Very shiny and very far
A planet with a new glow
Comes shining against the expanse
From everywhere come the birds
And the animals of the fields
Coming to the soft glow of the light
Reporting for their blessing
Yes, the animals also celebrate Christmas
As all of humanity rests
Then all draws nigh one by one
To acquiesce for a moment
The lion stands beside the lamb
And the wolves wait patiently
For the sheep to pass
In the flickering of the light
The eagle withdraws its talons
Even the finches calm down
Gazing at Him
When He approaches
For the sake of the animals
He smiles at the elephant
Counts the tiger’s stripes
Giving to each ox that has a yoke to bare
A moment of pleasure
He touches the sparrow
And also the hump of each animal
Strokes the back of the horses
Steps cautiously next to the ants
And everywhere He goes
A star follows Him in the heavens
Over the prairies of the Great Karoo
That teams of animal life
Through the forests of the tropics
The star follows him where He goes
And where every baboon and python
Is baptized by His touch
And then, when it becomes light again,
Every cow, stands at peace, in the stable
And knows – like the other animals -
That He also determines their lot.