Tu scendi dalle stelleThe melody and original lyrics for the hymn were written by Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, a prominent Neapolitan priest (later canonized) who founded the Redemptorist missionary order. In 1732, while staying at Convent of the Consolation, one of his order's houses in the small city of Deliceto in the province of Foggia in southeastern Italy, he put together the Christmas song that begins "You come down from the stars" entitled "Little song to Child Jesus". The version with Italian lyrics actually came after the original song written in Neapolitan entitled "For Jesus' birth" and that begins Quanno nascette Ninno (When the child was born) and sometimes referred to as the "Carol of the Bagpipers". Since that time the "Little song to Child Jesus" became a widely popular Christmas carol in Italy.

There are several translations of the lyrics into English styled after that of the King James Bible; one of these translations is given below. At least one translation into modern English also exists as well as a literal translation into English of "For Jesus' birth", better known as "Quanno nascette Ninno".(Neapolitan/English)

Song : DAD A7 D A Tu scendi dalle stelle, o re del cielo, G A7 D e vieni in una grotta al freddo, al gelo, A G A7 D e vieni in una grotta al freddo, al gelo.

A7 D A7 D O bambino mio divino io ti vedo qui a tremar. A G A7 D O Dio beato ah, quanto ti costò l'a - vermi amato, A G A7 D ah, quanto ti costò l'a - vermi amato!

A Te che sei del mondo il Creatore

mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore,

mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore.

Caro eletto pargoletto, quanto questa povertà

più m'innamora poichè ti fece, amor, povero ancora,

poichè ti fece, amor, povero ancora.