Wake Not, O Mother, Sounds of Lamentation

Wake not, O Mother, sounds of lamentation;
Weep not, O widow, weep not hopelessly:

Wake not, O Mother, sounds of lamentation;
Weep not, O widow, weep not hopelessly:
Strong is his arm, the bringer of salvation,
Strong is the word of God to succor thee.

Bear forth the cold corpse slowly, slowly bear him:
Hide his pale features with the sable pall:
Chide not the sad one wildly weeping near him:
Widowed and childless, she has lost her all.

Why pause the mourners? Who forbids our weeping?
Who the dark pomp of sorrow has delayed?
‘Set down the bier he is not dead, but sleeping.
‘Young man, arise!’ He spake, and was obeyed.

Change, then, O sad one, grief to exultation,
Worship and fall before Messiah’s knee.
Strong was his arm, the bringer of salvation,
Strong was the word of God to succor thee.

Reginald Heber