Considering that gaudete is the second-personplural present active imperative case of gaudeo ("I rejoice"), whilst gaude is the second-person singular present active imperative, it can thus be more accurately and poetically interpreted that the former is "rejoice ye", and the latter is "rejoice thou". However, most English translations of the carol merely translate the word as "rejoice!", with the plurality being implicit in its address to the audience.
