MSGID: 1:153/716.0 1c382044   
   REPLY: 2:5075/128.130 e1f74568   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:   
      
   ak>  OK, "God rest you merry, sir." But not OK, ;-) I am still have    
   ak>  a vague understanding of this phrase. Write it in other words.   
      
      
              The OED doesn't define this phrase, apart from its components, and   
   I had to think about it too.  I must confess that although I am quite   
   comfortable with 17th century English, I often find Shakespeare's works a bit   
   of a stretch.   
           
              The best translation I can come up with is "God keep/maintain you   
   in a state of happiness/joy".  This seems appropriate if the gentlemen in the   
   song rejoice whilst they & other Christians are celebrating the birth of Jesus.   
      
              Nowadays people would be more inclined to say "God bless you",   
   which isn't exactly the same... as Dallas remarked... but uses even fewer   
   words.  :-)   
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)   
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