The day is done

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The day is done, And left alone

Translator: Catherine Winkworth; Author: Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen (1704)
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

The day is done,
And, left alone,
My heart is fill'd with yearning
For the morn when grief and care
Shall have no returning.

The night is here,
Oh! be Thou near,
Christ, make it light within me;
Chase the darkness from my heart
That to ill might win me.

The sun's sweet light
Is sunk in night;
Oh Brightness uncreated,
Shine with joy on us who here
Long for Thee have waited.

Each living thing
Is slumbering,
While darkness round is closing;
Work Thou silently in me
While I lie reposing.

Ah when shall day
Have perfect sway,
By night no more attended?
When that fairest morn shall break
That shall ne'er be ended.

For Salem then
Shall ne'er again
Behold her brightness vanish,
Since the Lamb shall be her light,
And all night shall banish.

Oh were I there!
Where all the air
With lovely sounds is ringing,
Where the saints Thee, Holy Lord,
Evermore are singing!

Lord Jesus, Thou
My rest art now;
Grant me to stand before Thee,
Radiant with Thy light to shine,
And for aye adore Thee!

Source: Chorale Book for England, The #168

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Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

Author: Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen

Freylinghausen, Johann Anastasius, son of Dietrich Freylinghausen, merchant and burgomaster at Gandersheim, Brunswick, was born at Gandersheim, Dec. 2, 1670. He entered the University of Jena at Easter, 1689. Attracted by the preaching of A. H. Francke and J. J. Breithaupt, he removed to Erfurt in 1691, and at Easter, 1692, followed them to Halle. About the end of 1693 he returned to Gandersheim, and employed himself as a private tutor. In 1695 he went to Glaucha as assistant to Francke; and when Francke became pastor of St. Ulrich's, in Halle,1715, Freylinghausen became his colleague, and in the same year married his only daughter. In 1723 he became also sub-director of the Paedagogium and the Orphanage; and after Francke's death in 1727,… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	The day is done, And left alone
Title:	The day is done
German Title:	Der Tag ist hin
Author:	Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen (1704)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth
Language:	English