1 Once, in a garden, long ago,
the infant Christ made roses grow
so that a crown of flowery red
might, at the end, adorn his head.

2 When roses' perfume filled the air
he called the Hebrew children there,
but of the blossoms each took one
until for Jesus there were none.

3 'There are no roses for Jesus now!
No wreath of roses for his brow!'
The children waited there to see
what Jesus' answer then might be.

4 Jesus replied, 'But you forget
the thorny stems remaining yet.'
They made a wreath, and from his head
there bloomed his crown of flowery red.

after A N Plescheev (1825-1893),
Bill Stead, based on translation by Vladimir Lelmesh
© Bill Stead / Jubilate Hymns
Tune: THE CROWN OF ROSES (The Carol Book 144)

 

CCL# 4851336