ARE MU O, OKAN RE PORURU

Edmund Simon Lorenz (1854-1942)


Are mu O, okan re poruru?
So o fun Jesu:
Ibanuje dipo ayo fun o?
So o fun Jesu nikan.

So o fun Jesu; so o fun Jesu
Oun lore ti yoo mo
Ko tun sore
Ati'yekan bi Re
So o fun Jesu nikan

Asun-dakun omije lo nsun bi?
So o fun Jesu, so o fun Jesu,
O l'ese to farasin f'eniyan
So o fun Jesu nikan

'Banuje teri okan re ba bi?
So o fun Jesu, so o fun Jesu
O ha nsaniyan ojo ola bi?
So o fun Jesu nikan

Ironu iku mu o damu bi?
So o fun Jesu, so o fun Jesu
Okan re nfe ijoba Jesu bi!
So o fun Jesu nikan

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.


THE STORY

The original text was written in German and the the tune (Dayton) was composed both by Edmund Simon Lorenz (1854-1942). Lorenz was born in North Lawrence, a small village near Canton in Stark County, OH, and studied music at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH, at Yale, and in Europe. Eventually, he settled in Dayton, OH, where he remained for the rest of his life, and founded the Lorenz Publishing Company, for which he wrote several books and composed a number of sacred works, including some well known gospel songs such as "Thou Thinkest, Lord, of Me" and "Wonderful Love of Jesus." "Tell It To Jesus Alone" was first published in an 1876 German hymnbook, Pilgerlieder (Pilgrim Songs) edited by Lorenz for the United Brethren.

The English translation was made by Jeremiah Eames Rankin, who is sometimes incorrectly listed as the author (even in Lorenz’s own songbooks as late as Songs of Refreshing in 1894) and was born at Thornton, NH, on Jan. 2, 1828. Following his education at Middlebury College in 1848, he taught in New London, CT, and Warren County, KY, from 1848 to 1850, then returned to Middlebury as a tutor for a couple of years. After he graduated from Andover Theological Seminary, he married Mary H. Birge in 1854 and became a Congregational minister in 1855, serving churches in Potsdam, NY; St. Albans, VT; Lowell and Charleston, MA; Washington, DC; and Orange, NJ; before becoming President of Howard University in Washington, where he remained for the rest of his life.

A poet who was in the habit of closing his sermons with an original poem, Rankin compiled and edited a number of songbooks, including The Gospel Temperance Hymnal in 1878, Gospel Bells in 1883, and German-English Lyrics, Sacred and Secular in 1897, as well as two volumes of poetry. His most famous hymn undoubtedly is the well known closing song, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." This translation of Lorenz’s "Tell It To Jesus Alone" was done around 1877 and first appeared in the 1879 Sunday school songbook Songs of Grace edited by Lorenz. After retiring from the Presidency of Howard in 1903, Rankin was visiting in Cleveland, OH, at the time of his death on Nov. 28, 1904.

Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Tell It To Jesus Alone" appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3, all edited by L. O. Sanderson. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. both edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 (Church) Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Sacred Selections.

(Source)

Comments

  1. Yes, great job! not as if have not seen something similar or better but you beat my imagination. Keep it up

    ReplyDelete
  2. Evergreen and ever true. Reinforces our confidence in His love and care. Hallelujah.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Please do shift the verses
    Stanza two in the Yoruba rendition is stanza 3 in the English so it is little confusing
    These do not dismiss from the effort.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for this songs. It lift my spirits

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you so much for this wonderful page.
    You bring so much of my childhood memories back with these lyrics you have.

    God bless you abundantly.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JESU NI BALOGUN OKO

Olori Ijo T'orun

E BA WA YIN OLUWA, ALLELUYA!