Scripture Verse

There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:10

Introduction

portrait
Michael Praetorius
(1571–1621)

Words: Au­thor un­known, be­fore the 17th Cen­tu­ry (Es ist ein Ros ent­sprung­en). First ap­peared in print in the Alte Ca­tho­lische Geist­liche Kirch­en­ge­säng (Co­logne, Ger­ma­ny: Ar­nold Quen­tell, 1599), al­so known as the Spey­er Hymn­al. Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Fred­er­ick W. Herz­berg­er in The Christ­mas Song Book, com­piled by Ad­olf T. Hans­er (Buf­fa­lo, New York: Dahlke Pub­lish­ing, 1918), num­ber 24.

Music: Es ist ein Ros’ Alte Ca­tho­lische Geist­liche Kirch­en­ge­säng, 1599. Har­mo­ny by Mi­chael Prae­to­ri­us, 1609 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Herz­berg­er (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

A branch so fair has blos­somed
From ten­der par­ent stem,
Out of the root of Jesse,
As told by god­ly men.
And brought a flow­er so bright,
Well in the midst of win­ter
And dark­ness of the night.

This lit­tle rose so love­ly
That sprang from Jes­se’s rod
Mary al­one has brought us,
The chos­en maid of God;
By His de­cree and pow­er
A ho­ly Child she bare us
Well at the mid­night hour.

This lit­tle flow­er so frag­rant
My heart fills with de­light,
For with its shin­ing splen­dor
It drives away the night.
True man and God’s own Son,
Save us from sin and sor­row
And when death’s hour has come!