This Sunday we shared as a congregation saying farewall to one of our stalwarts in the church.
To help share the moment with the congregation and the family, we learned the English for the hymn 522 ‘Oku kei ui ‘a e ‘Otua together with The Christian’s Goodnight (by Sarah doudney, music by Ira David Sankey) and it greatly moved the elders in our congregation.
Author: Gehard Tersteegen (Translated: Sarah B. Findlater) m. Henry K. Oliver. Tune: Federal Street Alt. Tune: Breslau
G D7 G
1 God calling yet; shall I not hear?
5 God calling yet; I can- not stay;
D A D
1 Earth's plea-sures shall I still hold dear?
5 My heart I yield with- out de- lay;
G Em D7 G
1 Shall life's swift pass- ing years all fly,
5 Vain world, fare- well! from thee I part;
D7 G D7 G
1 And still my soul in slum- ber lie?
5 The voice of God hath reached my heart.
Chorus
G
God Calling yet, (oh, hear Him!)
D7
God Calling yet, (oh, hear Him!)
G A7 D7 G
God is calling yet; (oh! Hear Him calling, calling!)
G
God Calling yet, (oh, hear Him!)
C Am
God Calling yet, (oh, hear Him!)
G Em D7 G
God is calling yet; (oh, hear Him calling calling!)
Author: Sarah Doudney, 1871 (music) Ira David Sankey, 1884
G C G
1. Lay down my dear sis-ter, Lay down and take your rest
2. Un- til we meet a- gain be- fore His crys-tal throne,
G D D7
1. I wan- na lay your head, Upon your sav-iors brea-st
2. Clothed in the spo- t less robe He gives His own,
G C D7 C G
1. I Lo- ve yo-u, But Je-sus Loves you best
2. Un-til we kn-ow ev- en as we are known
G C A7 D7 G
I bid you good night, good night, good night
I bid you good night, good night, good night
The Christian’s Good night has been popularised with Tongans thanks to Sione Liti’s adaptation, it’s popularity is obvious in the number of youtube remakes of the song.
'E 'Otua tataki au, Fakaulo 'ae maama 'i hoku loto
Pea ngaohi au koe fetu'u ngingila
Ko koe 'ae malohi moe mafimafi.
'E 'Otua tataki au, Fakaulo 'ae maama 'i hoku loto
Pea ngaohi au koe fetu'u ngingila
Ko koe 'ae malohi moe mafimafi.
Lay down my dear brother, Lay down and take your rest
Im gonna lay your head, Upon your saviors chest
I Love you, But Jesus Loves you best
I bid you goodnight, goodnight goodnight
I bid you goodnight, goodnight goodnight
'E 'Otua tataki au, Fakaulo 'ae maama 'i hoku loto
Pea ngaohi au koe fetu'u ngingila
Ko koe 'ae malohi moe mafimafi.
Lay down my dear brother, Lay down and take your rest
Im gonna lay your head, Upon your saviors chest
I Love you, But Jesus Loves you best
I bid you goodnight, goodnight goodnight
I bid you goodnight, goodnight goodnight
The hymn has been adapted by such a diverse group of people, including more recent recordings by artists such as:
But my favourite of the adaptations would be sourced from the islands where the above manifestations originated. The 2002 production of “Music of the Bahamas” just has a different sound to the rest.
The additional verses changes depending on the singer, but tend to be around these following rhymthms and themes.
One of these mornings bright and early and soon, goodnight
Now they're pickin' up the spirit to the shore beyond, goodnight
Go walking in the valley of the shadow of death, goodnight
He's riding a staff, gonna comfort me, goodnight
Join the wise, there's a soul to find, goodnight
Lord send a fire, not a flood next time, goodnight
To leave for the ark, that wonderful boat, goodnight
She really loaded down, getting water to float, goodnight
Now pray for the beast at the ending of the world, goodnight
So, what were the music and words in the original hymn?
G C D7 C G
Sleep on, be- lov- èd, sleep, and take thy rest;
Calm is thy slum-ber as an in- fant’s sleep;
Un- til the sha- dows from this earth are cast,
Un- til the Eas- ter glo- ry lights the skies,
Un- til, made beau-ti- ful by love di- vine,
On- ly "Good night," be-lov- èd—not "farewell!" A
Un- til we meet a- gain be- fore His throne,
D7 G D G D A7 D
Lay down thy head up- on the Sav- ior’s breast;
But thou shalt wake no more to toil and weep;
Un- til He ga- thers in His sheaves at last;
Un- til the dead in Je- sus shall a- rise,
Thou, in the like-ness of thy Lord shalt shine,
Lit- tle while, and all His saints shall dwell In
Clothed in the spot-less robe He gives His own,
D7 G D7 Em G7 C D7 C G
We love thee well, but Je- sus loves thee best—
Thine is a per- fect rest, se- cure and deep—
Un- til the twi- light gloom be o- ver past—
And He shall come, but not in low- ly guise—
And He shall bring that gold- en crown of thine—
Hal-lowed un- i- son in- di- vi- si-ble—
Un- til we know ev- en as we are known—
C A7 D7 G
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Good night! Good night! Good night!
Played here by Chris Fleischer as a dedication