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by Thomas Browne, Sir (1605 - 1682)

The night is come, like to the day
Language: English 
Chosen for Diff
The night is come, like to the day,
Depart not Thou, great GOD, away.
Let not my sins, black as the night,
Eclipse the lustre of Thy light:
Keep still in my Horizon; for to me
The Sun makes not the day, but Thee.
Thou, Whose nature cannot sleep,
On my temples Centry keep;
Guard me 'gainst those watchful foes,
Whose eyes are open while mine close.
Let no dreams my head infest,
But such as Jacob's temples blest.
While I do rest, my Soul advance;
Make my sleep a holy trance;
That I may, my rest being wrought,
Awake into some holy thought;
And with as active vigour run
My course, as doth the nimble Sun.
Sleep is a death; O make me try,
By sleeping, what it is to die;
And as gently lay my head
On my grave, as now my bed.
However I rest, great GOD, let me
Awake again at last with Thee;
And thus assur'd, behold I lie
Securely, or to awake or die.
These are my drowsie days; in vain
I do not wake to sleep again:
O come that hour, when I shall never
Sleep again, but wake for ever.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Browne, Sir (1605 - 1682), no title, appears in Religio Medici, from the Second Part [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Gordon Crosse (b. 1937), "Prayer: The night is come", op. 17 no. 2 (1966), published 1967, first performed 1966 [ soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, and orchestra ], from Changes - A Nocturnal Cycle, no. 2, London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in English, [adaptation] ; composed by Henry Purcell.
    • Go to the text.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-01-05
Line count: 30
Word count: 198

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