Now that the sun doth shine no more

Representative Text

Now that the sun doth shine no more,
And day hath reach'd its close,
They calmly sleep who wept before,
The wearied find repose.

But Thou, my God, no rest dost know
In Thy unslumb'ring might;
Thou hatest darkness as Thy foe,
For Thou Thyself art Light.

Then 'mid the blackness of these hours
Still think on me for good;
Refresh me,--let Thy heavenly powers
Now o'er my slumbers brood,

I know the evil I have done
Doth cry aloud to Thee;
But, ah! the mercy of Thy Son
Hath made amends for me.

And therefore now I close my eyes
And sleep with tranquil breast;
Why waste the time in fears or sighs?
God watches o'er my rest.

Hence, vain and evil thoughts, depart!
Roam not, my soul, abroad,
For now I build within my heart
A temple to my God.

And if this night my last should prove
In this dark land, I pray
Then take me to Thy heaven above,
The home of endless day.



Source: Chorale Book for England, The #165

Author: Johann Friedrich Hertzog

Hertzog, Johann Friedrich, LL.D., son of Johann Hertzog, diaconus of the Church of the Holy Cross, in Dresden, was born at Dresden, June 6, 1647. After the completion of his legal studies at the University of Wittenberg, he was, from 1671 to 1674, tutor to the sons of General-Lieutenant von Arnim. In 1674 he returned to Dresden to practise as an advocate, where he died March 21, 1699 (Koch, iii. 361-63; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 251). The only hymn by him which has been translated into English is:— Nun sich der Tag geendet hat, Und keine Sonn mehr scheint. [Evening.] Fischer, ii. 129, says that, according to the testimony of Hertzog's brother, this hymn was written one evening in 1670 while the author was still a student at W… Go to person page >

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 >

Text Information

First Line: Now that the sun doth shine no more
German Title: Nun sich der Tag geendet hat
Author: Johann Friedrich Hertzog (1670)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Language: English

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Chorale Book for England, The #165

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