A bed of roses

刊登日期: 2019.10.11
作者: Grace Tse  

The rose is considered the most popular flower in the world because of its beauty and fragrance. People buy roses for birthdays, weddings and other special occasions. What are the other uses of roses? They can be used as perfume, food and drink. What do you associate with“a bed of roses”? 

The young man hopes to make his life a bed of roses. 

Roses are normally associated with love, happiness and sweetness. Metaphorically, the idiom“a bed of roses”means a pleasant situation in which a person likes to stay comfortably. 

One of the earliest sources comes from a book entitled“The Defence of Death”written in French by Philip de Mornaye in 1576. 

However, the best well-known origin is a love poem,“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”, written by Christopher Marlowe. This poem was published several years after the British playwright and poet died in 1593. 

Come live with me and be my love, 

And we will all the pleasures prove, 

That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, 

Woods, or steepy mountain yields. 

…

And I will make thee beds of roses 

And a thousand fragrant posies, 

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle 

Embroidered all with 

leaves of myrtle; … 

While the poet was talking about real roses, the expression today implies“a comfort zone”. It is used in a negative sense so as to remind people not to get used to an effortless life. 

Life is not a bed of roses (安樂美滿的生活; 稱心如意的境遇). Everyone needs to strive hard to overcome difficulties.  

---