Perhaps the best-loved of all Brorson's hymns

Time to ponder, not to wander

Time to ponder, not to wander,

Not to wander, oh weakling mind!

You’ll not by prating, only by waiting,

Only by waiting, our summer find.

Time to ponder, not to wander,

Not to wander, oh weakling mind!

Hard times trudge now, scarcely budge now,

Scarcely budge now. Their nature’s so.

Each day grows longer, winter though stronger,

Winter though stronger. This well we know.

Hard times trudge now, scarcely budge now,

Scarcely budge now. Their nature’s so.

Turtle dove, come look, my loved one,

Look my loved one! Behind yon wall

You’ll like a gem see foresummer’s memory,

Foresummer’s memory, light leaf-green all.

Turtle dove, come look, my loved one,

Look my loved one! Behind yon wall.

Ah, how comely, first fruits lovely,

First fruits lovely of gentle spring!

Let sharp frosts rake me, let quivers shake me,

Let quivers shake me. How brief their sting!

Ah, how comely, first fruits lovely,

First fruits lovely of gentle spring!

Dove, what reason has this season,

Has this season – there’s no one knows!

Cold’s losing power, covered’s each flower,

Covered’s each flower the more it snows.

Dove, what reason has this season,

Has this season – there’s no one knows!

Turtle dove, come forth, my loved one,

Forth my loved one, with olive leaf!

See! with each hour rises a bower

Rises a bower that brings relief.

Turtle dove, come forth, my loved one,

Forth my loved one, with olive leaf!