1. The golden morning,
   Joy her adorning,
   On us is gleaming,
   Rays brightly beaming,
   With her beloved heart-quickening light.
   My head and members
   Lay deep in their slumbers,
   But now awaking,
   All sleep from me shaking,
   Gazing on heav’n, I rejoice at the sight.

2. Mine eye’s beholding
   God’s work unfolding,
   Made for His glory,
   Telling the story
   Of all His power so mighty and great
   And where the Father
   His faithful shall gather
   In peace, whenever
   Earth’s ties they shall sever,
   Leaving this mortal and perishing state.

3. Come ye with singing,
   Our Maker bringing
   Each good and blessing
   We are possessing:
   All be to God as an offering brought,
   The best oblation
   Our heart’s adoration.
   Songs meet and thankful
   Are incense and cattle
   With which His pleasure most fitly is sought.

4. Evening and morning,
   Sunset and dawning,
   Wealth, peace, and gladness,
   Comfort in sadness:
   These are Thy works; all the glory be Thine!
   Times without number,
   Awake or in slumber,
   Thine eye observes us,
   From danger preserves us,
   Causing Thy mercy upon us to shine.

5. I have upraisèd
   To Thee, high praisèd,
   All my intentions:
   Let all my actions,
   With no offenses, in blessedness fare.
   Pitfalls, disgraces,
   And Lucifer’s vices,
   All that would bind me
   Drive Thou far behind me:
   Let me in all Thy Commandments endure.

6. Let me rejoicing,
   No envy voicing,
   See ev’ry blessing
   Thou may be setting
   In my dear brother’s and neighbor’s fair house.
   Covetous burning
   And unchristian yearning
   For gains ill-gotten:
   Do Thou swiftly blot them
   From this my heart, and then cast them all out.

7. This human nature,
   Poor, lowly creature,
   In but an hour,
   Shorn of its power
   Falters as death breathes upon it again.
   All that we cherish
   Must soon break and perish:
   Earth and all heavens
   Reduced to that substance
   Which they before their creation had been.

8. Though all decayeth,
   God ever stayeth,
   Nor doth He waver,
   He changeth never,
   His Word and will have immutable ground.
   His grace and favor
   Are steadfast forever,
   In our hearts healing
   Death’s pangs that we’re feeling,
   Keeping us now and eternally sound.

9. Father, O hear me,
   Pardon and spare me;
   Calm all my terrors,
   Blot out mine errors
   That by Thine eyes they may no more be scanned.
   Order my goings,
   Direct all my doings;
   As it may please Thee,
   Retain or release me;
   All I commit to Thy fatherly hand.

10. Wilt Thou be giving
    All that for living
    For me is needful?
    May I be heedful
    E’er in my heart of the Word come from Thee:
    God is the greatest,
    The fairest, the sweetest,
    God is the purest,
    The truest, the surest:
    Of all our treasures, the noblest is He.

11. Wilt Thou then grieve me,
    Gall for drink give me,
    Griefs to distress me,
    Burdens to press me?
    Yea, do whatever is pleasing to Thee.
    The good and healthful,
    The harmful, unhelpful,
    Thou my Physician,
    Who know’st my condition,
    Hast ne’er more chastened than any should be.

12. Griefs, though heart-rending,
    All have their ending;
    Though seas be roaring
    And winds outpouring,
    Thereafter shines the dear sun’s blessèd face.
    Fullness of pleasure
    And glorious leisure
    Then will be given
    To me there in heaven,
    Where all my thoughts are directing their gaze.

Die güldne Sonne
Paul Gerhardt, 1666
Tr. composite