Words: Unknown au­thor, 5th Cen­tu­ry (Vox cla­ra ec­ce in­to­nat); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by , 1849.

Music: Merton (Monk), , in The Par­ish Choir, 1850. Al­ter­nate tune:

  • O Der Al­les, Neu­es geist­reich­es Ge­sang­buch (Hal­le, Ger­ma­ny: 1705)

Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding;
“Christ is nigh,” it seems to say,
“Cast away the works of darkness,
O ye children of the day.”

Wakened by the solemn warning
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all ill dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from Heav’n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiven.

That when next He comes in glory,
And the world is wrapped in fear,
With His mercy He may shield us,
And with words of love draw near.

Honor, glory, might, and blessing
Be to God: the Father, Son
And the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.