Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Lyrics to the Christmas carol Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.

About

History and facts about Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.

  • The original of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming and A Spotless Rose is the German song Es ist ein Ros entsprungen which translates to A rose has sprung up.
  • The lyrics of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen was first published in the 16th century.
  • The author of the original German lyrics is unknown.
  • Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming was written by Theodore Baker in 1894.
  • A Spotless Rose was written by Catherine Winkworth.
  • Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming has been recorded by Sting and appears on his album If On a Winter’s night.

Lyrics

Different versions and translations of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.

Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

Lyrics to Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming by Theodore Baker.

Lo, how a rose e’er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung.
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung;
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ‘twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind;
To show God’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

O Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispel with glorious splendour
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From Sin and death now save us,
And share our every load.

A Spotless Rose

Lyrics to A Spotless Rose by Catherine Winkworth.

A Spotless Rose is growing,
Sprung from a tender root,
Of ancient seers’ foreshowing,
Of Jesse promised fruit;
Its fairest bud unfolds to light
Amid the cold, cold winter,
And in the dark midnight.

The Rose which I am singing,
Whereof Isaiah said,
Is from its sweet root springing
In Mary, purest Maid;
Through God’s great love and might
The Blessed Babe she bare us
In a cold, cold winter’s night.

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

Lyrics to Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. Author unknown.

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,
aus einer Wurzel zart,
wie uns die Alten sungen,
von Jesse war die Art
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht
mitten im kalten Winter,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das Röslein, das ich meine,
davon Jesaia sagt,
ist Maria die reine
die uns das Blümlein bracht.
Aus Gottes ew’gem Rat
hat sie ein Kind geboren
und blieb ein reine Magd.
or: Welches uns selig macht.

Das Blümelein, so kleine,
das duftet uns so süß,
mit seinem hellen Scheine
vertreibt’s die Finsternis.
Wahr Mensch und wahrer Gott,
hilft uns aus allem Leide,
rettet von Sünd und Tod.

Literal english translation

Literal english translation of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen.

A rose has sprung up,
from a tender root.
As the old ones sang to us,
Its lineage was from Jesse.
And it has brought forth a floweret
In the middle of the cold winter
Well at half the night.

The rosebud that I mean,
Of which Isaiah told
Is Mary, the pure,
Who brought us the floweret.
At God’s immortal word,
She has borne a child
Remaining a pure maid.
or: Who makes us blessed.

The floweret, so small
That smells so sweet to us
With its clear light
Dispels the darkness.
True man and true God!
He helps us from all trouble,
Saves us from sin and death.