Give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken,
Isaiah 1:2I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.
Words: Author unknown. Translated from Latin to English by Horatius Bonar, Hymns of Faith and Hope, second series (London: James Nisbet, 1861), pages 255–56.
Music: Arran Samuel S. Wesley, in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns, by Charles Kemble (London: John F. Shaw, 1864), number 120 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know the original author, or the Latin title,
Give ear, O earth, give ear!
Depths of the mighty sea!
Give ear, O man! Give ear,
All ’neath the sun that be!
The day of wrath draws near,
The dreadful day of doom;
The sinner’s bitter day,
It maketh haste to come.
Then shall these ancient skies
Roll up and pass away;
The sun shall blush, and hide
Its face in dread dismay.
The moon shall change and flee;
The noon grow dark as night;
The stars shall fall to earth
In wild and sore affright.
Alas! alas! alas!
To whom, in that great day,
Shall the sad sinner flee,
On whom for refuge stay?
Lost, lost, for ever lost!
Too late! too late!
he cries;
Lost, lost, for ever lost!
The second death he dies.
O Jesu, save and bless,
O Son of God on high:
Then safe in Thee we live,
And safe in Thee we die.
Safe to the holy hills,
Safe to the city blest;
Safe from the toil below,
Thou leadest to Thy rest.