Awake, thou careless world, awake!

Representative Text

Awake, thou careless world, awake!
That final Judgment day will surely come;
What Heav'n hath fix'd no Time can shake,
Time never more shall sweep away thy doom.
Know what the Lord Himself hath spoken
Shall come at last and not delay:
Though heav'n and earth shall pass away,
His steadfast Word can ne'er be broken.

Awake! thou careless world, awake!
For none can tell how soon our God may please
That suddenly that day should break,
No human wisdom fathoms depths like these:
O flee earth's base delights and pride,
For as the bird is in the snare,
Or ever of its foe aware,
So comes that day so long denied.

Yet He in love delayeth long
That awful day, and grants the sinner space
To turn away from sin and wrong,
And mourning seek in time His love and grace.
He holdeth back that best of days
Until the righteous shall approve
Their faith and hope, their constant love;
So gentle us-ward are His ways!

And those found faithful then shall see
That glorious morning dawn in love and joy,
Their Saviour comes to set them free,
Their Judge Himself shall all their bonds destroy;
He the true Joshua then shall bring
His people with a mighty hand
Into their promised fatherland,
Where songs of victory they thall sing.

Arise, and let us night and day
Watch for our Lord, and study o'er His word,
And in the Spirit ever pray,
That we be ready when His call is heard;
Arise, and let us haste to meet
The Bridegroom standing at the door,
That with the angels evermore
We too may worship at His feet.



Source: Chorale Book for England, The #27

Author: 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 von Rist

Rist, Johann, son of Kaspar Rist, pastor at Ottensen, near Hamburg, was born at Ottensen, March 8, 1607, and from his birth was dedicated to the ministry. After passing through the Johanneum at Hamburg and the Gymnasium Illustre at Bremen, he matriculated, in his 21st year, at the University of Rinteln, and there, under Josua Stegmann (q. v.), he received an impulse to hymn-writing. On leaving Rinteln he acted as tutor to the sons of a Hamburg merchant, accompanying them to the University of Rostock, where he himself studied Hebrew, Mathematics and also Medicine. During his residence at Rostock the terrors, of the Thirty Years War almost emptied the University, and Rist himself also lay there for weeks ill of the pestilence. After his r… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Awake, thou careless world, awake!
German Title: Wach auf, wach auf, du sich're Welt
Author: Johann von Rist (1651)
Author: Catherine Winkworth
Meter: 8.8.8.8.9.8.8.9
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #277
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Small Church Music #7434

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The Cyber Hymnal #277

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