Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

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Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, most commonly translated to English as Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, is a Christmas carol of German origin. The text is thought to be penned by an anonymous author, and the piece first appeared in print in the late-16th century. The hymn has been used by both Catholics and Protestants, with the focus of the song being Mary or Jesus, respectively. In addition, there have been numerous versions of the hymn, with varying texts and lengths.

The tune most familiar today appears in the Speyer Hymnal (printed in Cologne in 1599), and the familiar harmonization was written by German composer Michael Praetorius in 1609. The tune was used by Johannes Brahms as the basis for a chorale fantasy for organ, later transcribed for orchestra by Erich Leinsdorf, and by Hugo Distler as the basis for his 1933 oratorio Weihnachtsgeschichte ("Christmas story").

The popular English translation "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" was written by Theodore Baker in 1894.

New English version (with introduction) by James N. O'Sullivan (holder of copyright) in "The Furrow" vol. 59, no. 4, April 2008, pp. 242-5.

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German English
1. Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen,

aus einer Wurzel zart.
Wie uns die Alten sungen,
von Jesse war die Art.
Und hat ein Blüm'lein 'bracht;
mitten im kalten Winter,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

 1. 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 halfspent was the night.
2. Das Röslein, das ich meine,

davon Jesaia sagt:
Maria ist's, die Reine,
die uns das Blüm'lein bracht'.
Aus Gottes ew'gem Rat,
hat sie ein Kind geboren,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

 2. 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 us a Savior,
When halfspent was the night.
3. Das Blümelein, so kleine,

das duftet uns so süß;
mit seinem hellen Scheine
vertreibt's die Finsternis.
Wahr'r Mensch und wahrer Gott!
Hilft uns aus allem Leide,
rettet von Sünd' und Tod.

 3. 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.

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