There Were Ten Virgins
For Christmas
Words: Africian-American Spiritual
Music: Africian-American Spiritual
Source: Robert R. Moton, ed., Religious Folk Songs of the Negro As Sung on the Plantations. Fourth Edition. (Hampton, VA.: The Institute Press, 1909), pp. 90-91. Arranged by the Musical Directors of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Original edition of 1874 by Thomas P. Fenner.
1. There were ten Virgins when the Bridegroom come,
There were ten Virgins when He come,
There were ten Virgins, there were ten Virgins,
There were ten Virgins when He come.
2. And five of them were wise, When, etc.
3. And five of them were foolish, When, etc.
4. And the foolish said to the wise, When, etc.
5. O give us of your oil, When, etc.
6. And the wise said to the foolish, When, etc.
7. O go to them that sell, When, etc.
8. And buy for yourselves, When, etc.
Sheet Music from
Note:
There are numerous carols based on the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Matt. 25:1-13, a few of which include:
Sleepers, Wake! the Watch-Cry Pealeth
Slumberers, Wake, The Bridegroom Cometh!
Up! Awake! From Highest Steeple
Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying
Wake, O Wake! With Tidings Thrilling
Wake! The Startling Watch-Cry Pealeth
And the German:
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
