Away in a Manger Lyrics in Large Print: Free Printable PDF
The words of Away in a Manger are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. The author is unknown, and our text is the 1885 printing. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | Anonymous; earliest known printing 1882; our text follows 1885 |
|---|---|
| Music | William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895 (one of two common tunes) |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
Away in a Manger in large print: words and download
Away in a Manger
Away in a manger,
No crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head,
The stars in the sky
Looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus,
Asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing,
The poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
No crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus,
Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side
Until morning is nigh.
Words: Anonymous (1885). Music: James R. Murray (1887), the tune printed in this source. Public domain in the United States: words published 1885 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 2 stanzas and 16 lines. Away in a Manger is one of the songs in our large print Christmas carols collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote Away in a Manger and when?
For a long time the carol was said to be a cradle song written by Martin Luther for his children. Wikipedia reports that this claim first appears in 1882, in a journal called The Christian Cynosure, and that the carol is now thought to be wholly American in origin. The author is unknown. The earliest printings had two verses; a third first appears in 1892.
The two most common tunes are by James Ramsey Murray (1887) and William J. Kirkpatrick (1895). Almost every line has been recorded in variant wordings, so a sheet may differ slightly from the one in your hymnal. Our sheet has the two verses as printed in the 1885 Little Children's Book, so the third verse, which appeared later, is not on it.
When is Away in a Manger sung?
It is sung at Christmas Eve family services, children's nativity plays and bedside carol visits, since it works as a lullaby. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for Silent Night, The First Noel and It Came Upon the Midnight Clear use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print Away in a Manger for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, Away in a Manger takes 1 page at 18 point, 1 at 24 point and 2 at 28 point. On 11 x 17 paper at 24 point it takes 1 page. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.
For a service, print one sheet for each seat plus a few spares, since large print copies tend to be borrowed. For a sing-along, one sheet between two is enough on 11 x 17 paper at 24 point. For a care-home visit, print one for each resident and one for each helper, and slip them into sleeves you can wipe clean. With only two short verses, it is one of the smallest sheets on the site, so a reader who wants a single sheet to hold in one hand can have one even at a large size.