The Bellmans Song 1 Lyrics

1. The moon shone bright
And the stars gave a light,
A little before it was day;
The Lord our God he call'd on us
And he bade us awake and pray.

2. Awake, awake, good people all,
Awake and you shall hear
How our dear Lord died on the cross
For us whom He loved so dear.

3. O fair, O fair Jerusalem,
When shall we come to thee?
When shall our sorrows have an end,
Thy joy that we may see?

4. The fields were green as green could be,
When from his glorious seat
Our blessed Father watered us
With His heavenly dew so sweet.

5. And for the saving of our souls
Christ died upon the Cross;
We ne'er shall do for Jesus Christ
As He has done for us.

6. The life of man is but a span,
And cut down in its flower,
We are here today, tomorrow gone,
The creatures of an hour.

7. Instruct and teach your children well,
The while that you are here;
It may be better for your soul
When your corpse lies on the bier.

8. Today you be alive and well,
With many a thousand pound;
Tomorrow dead and cold as clay
When your corpse lies on the ground.

9. With one turf at your head, good man,
And another at your feet,
Thy good deeds and thy bad, O man,
Will altogether meet.

10. My song is done, I must be gone
I can stay no longer here,
God bless you all, both great and small,
And send you a joyful new year!

Other versions add the following:

11. So give your heed to what we sing,
While you're alive and sound,
It may be better for your soul,
When your corpse lies on the ground.

12. God bless the master of this house;
God bless the mistress here,
And all the little children
Around the table dear.

God bless you all, both great and small,
And send you a happy new year.
(sung to the melody of the last 2 lines)