Since long ago at Bethany we parted,
自伯大尼你與我們分手後，
Within my heart there is a ceaseless void;
我心有個真空無可補滿，
How can I take my harp down from the willow?
我坐河濱，將琴掛在柳枝頭，
How can my songs without Thee be enjoyed?
你不在此，我怎有心鼓彈？
And when at night I’m keeping lonely vigil—
當我深夜孤獨安靜的時候，
Grown numb alike to sorrow and to cheer—
（此時我無忍受，我也無享受，）
Then I recall the promise of Thy coming,
不禁歎息，我想著你是多遠，
But sigh: O Lord, why, why Thou dost not yet appear?
我想著你應許已久的歸旋。

Thy manger wakes the thought: I too am homeless;
你的馬槽使我生無家之想，
Thy cross strips earthly pleasures from my soul;
你的苦架使我無所欲喜，
Thy coming bids me seek a better country,
你的再來使我懷未見之鄉，
For Thou Thyself art now my final goal.
你的自己成我追求目的。
Since Thou art gone my joy has lost its flavor,
你不在此，喜樂已減它滋味，
My song the sweetness I would fain convey.
詩歌也缺它所應有的甜美；
Since Thou art gone the sense of void o’erwhelms me.
你不在此，終日我若有所失，
Oh, how I long that Thou wilt come and not delay.
主阿，我要你來，我不要你遲。

Though even now I know Thy loving presence,
雖我在此也能享受你同在，
Yet in my heart there’s still a sense of lack.
但我深處依然有個缺憾；
Enlightening and tenderest sustaining
雖然有你光照，也有你撫愛，
Can no more satisfy: I want Thee back.
有個甚麼我不知仍不滿！
Despite Thy peace within, I still feel lonely;
平安裡面，我卻仍感覺孤單，
Despite Thy joy there still remains a sigh;
喜樂時候，我仍不免有籲歎，
When I feel most content, the silent yearning
最足意時，我心仍有不足意，
To see Thee face to face becomes an uttered cry.
就是我還不能當面看見你。

What exile cannot but desire his homeland
亡人怎不想見生長的鄉邑？
And long his people once again to greet?
俘虜怎不想見故國故人？
What soul on alien soil forgets his kindred?
情人分離，怎不一心羈兩地？
What parted lovers never yearn to meet?
兒女遠遊，怎不思家思親？
O Lord, how can these earthly loves and pleasures
主阿，我想看見你面的心意，
With all the joy of Thy return compare?
還非這些人間情形可比擬；
Then, if I cannot here behold Thy countenance,
現今在此，我無法見你丰采，
What can I do but sigh till Thou, my Lord, appear?
是否只好歎息等到你回來！

Could’st Thou, O Lord, forget Thy word of promise
主，你能否忘記你曾經應許，
Soon to return and take me unto Thee?
你要回來，接我與你同在？
Yet day by day and year by year I’ve waited
但一天天又一年年的過去，
And still I wait, and no return I see!
我仍等候，你卻仍未回來！
Remember, Lord, the years I have been waiting
求你紀念，我己等得好疲倦，
While Thy dear footsteps linger far away.
而你歸期仍像當初一樣遠！
How long? How long? Oh! must I wait still longer
多久？多久？還有多久的時候，
Till Thou shalt come again in glorious array?
你纔應驗應許來把我提走？

From generation unto generation
日出日落，一世過去又一代，
Thy saints have come and gone, but have not seen
你的聖徒生活、等候、安睡，
Thy glorious promise pass into fulfilment.
一位一位，他們已逐漸離開，
How long, how very long the time has been!
一次一次，我們望你快回。
Why cannot we, dear Lord, discern Thy footsteps?
我主，為何你仍沒有顯動靜，
Why are the heavens still so closely sealed?
天仍閉住，我們觀看仍對鏡，
Oh! must our waiting be prolonged still further
我們在此依然等候再等候，
Before Thou in Thy matchless splendor art revealed?
哎呀，是否我們等候還不夠？

Lord, I recall the many years I’ve waited
當我回想，我已等候多長久，
For Thy return—yet, Lord, not I alone,
不禁歎息，低頭獨自流淚，
But Thy dear saints through many generations—
求你別再遲延不聽我要求，
Beseeching Thee to come back for Thine own.
現今就來接我與你相會；
To countless tears and countless fervent pleadings,
來罷，我主，這是教會的求呼！
By Thine appearing haste to make reply.
來罷，我主，請聽聖徒的催促！
Oh, may Thou come, the echo of the ages,
來罷，曆世歷代累積的共鳴，
Come, come and answer now this mighty corp’rate cry!
我主，能否求你今天一起聽！