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Funeral Poems of Comfort and Faith

For families of faith, the right words can hold up a grieving heart and point it toward hope. This collection leans on Scripture, old public-domain hymns, and original verses of comfort. South Africa is home to many traditions — Methodist, Catholic, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, Pentecostal and charismatic churches, the African Independent and Zionist churches, and more — so customs around readings differ. In some services a minister or priest leads the readings; in others, family members or church members share freely, sometimes with singing in between. The public-domain Bible passages and hymns below may be read in any service without permission. If your church sings in another language, these can be paired with the same hymn in isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans or Xhosa. Choose what speaks to your faith and your loved one's; there is no need to read more than one or two.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Let not your heart be troubled:

ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions:

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again, and receive you unto myself;

that where I am, there ye may be also.

Traditional / public domain — John 14:1–3, King James Version (1611). Free to read in any service.

A Time for Everything

To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.

Traditional / public domain — Ecclesiastes 3:1–4, 11 (selected), King James Version (1611). Free to read.

Now the Labourer's Task Is O'er

Now the labourer's task is o'er;

Now the battle day is past;

Now upon the farther shore

Lands the voyager at last.

Father, in Thy gracious keeping

Leave we now Thy servant sleeping.

There the tears of earth are dried;

There its hidden things are clear;

There the work of life is tried

By a juster Judge than here.

Father, in Thy gracious keeping

Leave we now Thy servant sleeping.

Traditional / public domain — John Ellerton (1826–1893), died over 70 years ago. A graveside hymn long used in Anglican and Methodist services; free to read or sing.

He Will Wipe Away Every Tear

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;

and there shall be no more death,

neither sorrow, nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain:

for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said,

Behold, I make all things new.

Traditional / public domain — Revelation 21:4–5, King James Version (1611). Free to read; a passage of hope often chosen for committals.

The God of Quiet Mornings

The God of quiet mornings,

of rain upon the land,

who counts the falling sparrow,

holds you within His hand.

We do not grieve as those

who have no hope to keep;

we lay you down in trust

and call it not death, but sleep.

So go now to the harvest,

the gathering of the years;

the Shepherd knows your name,

and He will dry our tears.

Original poem composed for this collection (no copyright restrictions). Draws on Scriptural images (the sparrow, the Shepherd, hope) without quoting any modern copyrighted text.

Safe Home

Weep not too long for one now safely home,

who ran the race and finished out the day;

the gate stood open, and the Light came down,

and gently took the weariness away.

We are not parted, only sent ahead —

you for a little while, and we behind;

the same great love that holds you holds us still,

and in that love again we shall be joined.

Original poem composed for this collection (no copyright restrictions). A note for grieving families: a few well-loved comfort readings sometimes shared at funerals — such as 'Death Is Nothing at All' (Henry Scott Holland) — remain under copyright, so search for them by title and author rather than reprinting them; the verses above are offered freely in their place.

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