Aconteceu um dia, num Natal j passado, Dois vizinhos visitaram um amigo ao lado.

Entrando em sua pobre e humilde morada, A encontraram lindamente decorada.

It happened one day at the years white end; Two neighbors called on an old-time friend. They found his shop, so meager and mean, Made bright with a thousand boughs of green.

E o amigo, sentado, com os olhos brilhantes, De repente parou de enfeitar por um instante, E disse: Meus amigos, hoje de madrugada, Quando a manh pelo galo era anunciada, Num sonho vi o Senhor que me dizia: Hoje o visitarei e lhe farei companhia. Ento sobremaneira tenho estado ocupado, Na minha casa quero ver tudo decorado. A mesa est posta, e a chaleira polida, Nos lindos enfeites a luz refletida. E agora esperarei o Senhor, no vou dormir, Vou prestar bastante ateno para poder ouvir Os Seus passos quando Ele Se aproximar, E ao abrir a porta Seu rosto vou contemplar. And Conrad was sitting with face a-shine, When he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine, And said, Old friends, at dawn today, When the cock was crowing the night away, The Lord appeared in a dream to me, And said, `Im coming your guest to be. So Ive been busy with feet astir, Strewing my shop with branches of fir. The table is spread and the kettle is shined And over the rafters, the holly is twined. And now I will wait for my Lord to appear, And listen closely so I will hear His step as He nears my humble place, And I open the door and look in His face.

Os dois ento partiram e deixaram o amigo, Pois desde que sua famlia tinha falecido, Mais feliz que isto no podia estar. Pois antes o Natal no conseguia desfrutar. Mas com o Senhor como convidado de Natal, melhor ficar atento, com ateno especial, E a cada barulho se levantava sem vacilar. Um Natal melhor no dava para imaginar. E esperando para ver o Senhor l fora, Ouviu um rudo e correu para janela na hora,

So his friends went home and left Conrad alone, For this was the happiest day he had known. For long since, his family had passed away, And Conrad had spent a sad Christmas Day. But he knew with his Lord as his Guest, This Christmas would be the dearest and best. He listened with only joy in his heart, And with every sound, he would rise with a start. And look for the Lord to be standing there, In answer to his earnest prayer.

E, tentando disfarar a sua decepo, Viu sobre a neve que cobria o cho Um mendigo maltrapilho de sapatos gastos, Com roupas pudas e remendos crassos. Com pena correu para a porta comovido, E disse: Seus ps devem estar gelados e feridos. Tenho sapatos aqui em casa para lhe dar, E tambm um casaco para o agasalhar. Muito agradecido, o pobre homem foi embora. Nosso amigo ao ver como passavam as horas, Imaginava por que o Senhor estaria to atrasado, E quanto mais teria que esperar seu Convidado.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound, But all that he saw on the snow-covered ground Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn, And all of his clothes were ragged and worn. So Conrad was touched and went to the door, And he said , Your feet must be frozen and sore. I have some shoes in my shop for you, And a coat that will keep you warmer, too. So with grateful heart, the man went away, But as Conrad noticed the time of day, He wondered what made his dear Lord so late, And how much longer hed have to wait.

Ouviu ento umas batidas e para a porta correu, Mas tambm no era nenhum conhecido seu; Uma velhinha corcunda com um cachecol usado, Levando nas costas um feixe de lenha pesado. Ela pediu um lugar para descansar um bocado, Mas j estava reservado para o Grande Convidado. Seu rosto parecia implorar: No me mande embora, noite de Natal, preciso descansar agora. Ento, ele fez-lhe uma tigela de sopa bem quente, E disse: Vamos, sente-se mesa e se alimente. Mas quando ela foi embora, ele meio desesperado, Notou que j era tarde e o tempo havia passado. O Senhor no tinha vindo, como havia dito. Pensou: Com certeza houve um mal-entendido. When he heard a knock, he ran to the door, But it was only a stranger once more; A bent old crone with a shawl of black, A bundle of branches piled on her back. She asked for only a place to rest, But that was reserved for Conrads Great Guest. But her voice seemed to plead, Dont send me away, Let me rest for a while on Christmas Day. So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup, And told her to sit at the table and sup. But after she left, he was filled with dismay, For he saw that the hours were passing away. The Lord had not come, as He said He would, And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

Na quietude da noite ouviu ele algum gritou: Por favor me ajude, e me diga onde estou! Embora decepcionado, naquela noite fria, No deu lugar tristeza e foi ver quem batia. Era s uma menina que tinha se perdido, Longe da sua famlia, no sabia aonde tinha ido. De novo o pobre homem ficou desanimado, Mas sabia que a menina precisava de cuidados. Falou com ela e suas lgrimas ento limpou, A deixou tranqila e logo a consolou,

Then out of the stillness, he heard a cry, Please help me and tell me where am I? He stood disappointed, as twice before, But shook off his sadness and went to the door. It was only a child who had wandered away, And was lost from her family on Christmas Day. Again Conrads heart was heavy and sad But he knew he should make this little girl glad. So he called her in and wiped her tears, And quieted all her childish fears.

E depois foi com ela at a sua moradia. Mas ao voltar para casa uma coisa ele sabia: O Senhor com certeza nesta data j no vem, E o prximo Natal s no ano que vem. Ento foi para o seu quarto, e de joelhos orou. Disse: Querido Senhor, por que demorou? O que O impediu de me fazer uma visita? Pois eu queria tanto ver Sua face bonita. E na quietude da noite, uma voz ento disse: Erga a cabea, Eu prometeria se no cumprisse?

Then he led her back to her home once more. But as he entered his darkened door, He knew that the Lord was not coming today For the hours of Christmas had passed away. So he went to his room and knelt down to pray, And he said, Dear Lord, why did You delay? What kept You from coming to call on me? For I wanted so much Your face to see. When soft in the silence, a voice he heard: Lift up your head, for I kept My Word.

Trs vezes a Minha sombra esteve na sua morada, Trs vezes bati sua porta nesta noite gelada. Eu era o mendigo cansado de quem voc cuidou. Eu era a mulher a quem voc alimentou. E Eu era a criana perdida que voc ajudou.

Three times My shadow crossed your floor, Three times I came to your lonely door. For I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet. I was the woman you gave to eat. And I was the child on the homeless street.

Digo-lhes a verdade: O que vocs fizeram a algum dos meus menores irmos, a mim o fizeram. (Mateus 25:40, NVI-PT)

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40, NIV)

Presentation by www.freekidstories.org. Text The Family International.

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