And am I born to die?
To lay this bo­dy down?
And must my trem­bling spir­it fly
Into a world un­known?

A land of deep­est shade,
Unpierced by hu­man thought,
The drea­ry re­gions of the dead,
Where all things are for­got?

Soon as from earth I go,
What will be­come of me?
Eternal hap­pi­ness or woe
Must then my por­tion be:

Waked by the trum­pet’s sound,
I from my grave shall rise,
And see the Judge, with glo­ry crowned,
And see the flam­ing skies!

How shall I leave my tomb?
With tri­umph or re­gret?
A fear­ful or a joy­ful doom,
A curse or bless­ing meet?

Will an­gel bands con­vey
Their bro­ther to the bar?
Or de­vils drag my soul away,
To meet its sen­tence there?

Who can re­solve the doubt
That tears my anx­ious breast?
Shall I be with the damned cast out,
Or num­bered with the blest?

I must from God be driv­en,
Or with my Sav­ior dwell;
Must come at His com­mand to Hea­ven,
Or else—de­part to hell!