Now the labourer's task is o'er

General information

Lyricist: John Ellerton.

Settings by composers

• Joseph Barnby SATB
• John Bacchus Dykes SATB

Original text and translations

English text

1  Now the labourer's task is o'er,
Now the battle-day is past;
Now upon the farther shore
Lands the voyager at last.
R. Father, in Thy gracious keeping
 Leave we now Thy servant sleeping.

2  There the tears of earth are dried;
There its hidden things are clear;
There the work of life is tried
By a juster Judge than here.
R.

3  There the penitents that turn
To the Cross their dying eyes
All the love of Jesus learn
At His feet in Paradise.
R.

4  'Earth to earth, and dust to dust,'
Calmly now the words we say;
Leaving him to sleep in trust,
Till the resurrection day.
R.