Words: (Dein­er Kind­er Sam­mel­platz), Kleine Brü­der Ge­sang­buch (Lon­don: 1754); trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by , Lyra Ger­man­i­ca, 1858.

Music: Hein­lein, Nürn­berg­isch­es Ge­sang­buch, 1676; mel­o­dy at­trib­ut­ed to (1654-1681); har­mo­ny by (1823-1889).


Christ will gather in His own
To the place where He is gone,
Where their heart and treasure lie,
Where our life is hid on high.

Day by day the voice saith, “Come,
Enter thine eternal home”;
Asking not if we can spare
This dear soul it summons there.

Had He asked us, well we know
We should cry, “O spare this blow!”
Yes, with streaming tears should pray,
“Lord, we love him, let him stay.”
[substitute her if appropriate]

But the Lord doth naught amiss,
And, since He hath ordered this,
We have naught to do but still
Rest in silence on His will.

Many a heart no longer here,
Ah! was all too inly dear,
Yet, O Love, ’tis Thou dost call,
Thou wilt be our All in all.