James Montgomery

"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh." -- Genesis xxxii.26.

Let me go, the day is breaking,

Dear companions, let me go;

We have spent a night of waking

In the wilderness below;

Upward now I bend my way,

Part we here at break of day.

Let me go, I may not tarry,

Wrestling thus with doubts and fears,

Angels wait my soul to carry,

Where my risen Lord appears;

Friends and kindred, weep not so,

If you love me let me go.

We have travell'd long together,

Hand in hand, and heart in heart,

Both through calm and stormy weather,

And 'tis hard, 'tis hard to part,

Yet we must; -- "Farewell!" to you;

Answer, one and all, "Adieu!"

'Tis not darkness gathering round me,

Which withdraws me from your sight;

Walls of flesh no more can bound me,

But, translated into light,

Like the lark on mounting wing,

Though unseen you hear me sing.

Heaven's broad day hath o'er me broken,

Far beyond earth's span of sky;

I am dead; -- nay, by this token,

Know that I have ceased to die;

Would you solve the mystery?

Come up hither, -- come and see!