I saw the reap­ers one by one
Their sheaves in tri­umph bear;
I knew their la­bor at an end,
And prayed their joy to share;
Be thou con­tent, and bide thy time,
I heard a voice re­ply;
Thou too shalt go where they have gone,
Not now, but by and by.

Refrain

Not now, but by and by,
I heard a voice re­ply;
There’s home and rest, and joy for thee,
Not now, but by and by.

Dear Lord, I said, Thy pre­cious words
My wan­ing strength re­new;
But O, I grieve and mourn to think
My har­vest sheaves are few.
Toil on, the same sweet voice re­plied,
Thy days are glid­ing by,
And thou shalt join the reap­ers’ song,
Not now, but by and by.

Refrain

No more, no more, dear Lord, I said,
Will I im­pa­tient be;
But through Thy grace I’ll do my work,
And leave it all with Thee.
Tho’ ga­ther­ing clouds may some­times cast
Dark sha­dows o’er the sky,
My feet shall tread the fields of light,
Not now, but by and by.

Refrain