If I Could Forever Be Yours

 1.
If I could forever be Yours where You dwell,
And sit at Your feet hearing all You tell,
I'd listen obediently with great delight
To stories of Paradise and Your Light.

 2.
Of joy and Your world, and of life and Your love,
The truths in Your Book You would tell me of;
And eternal bliss like angelical hush
Would fill up my soul in ecstatic rush.

 3.
If I could forever live there in Your home,
I'd press close to You never more to roam.
And ev'rything here from all earth's feeble stores,
I'd gladly give up to be then called Yours.

 4.
A tender voice speaking I heard deep within,
He comforted, calmed me, forgave my sin,
And whispered so softly: "Come into My Light;
       I give you the strength to turn from your night.

      5.
       The price of salvation I gladly have paid,
       I wandered alone therefore be not afraid;
       And by My own Blood I've redeemed you from hell,
       Though you strayed away from Me and you fell.

       6.
       O now you are mine and all questions, all doubts
       From you I remove—fear is now cast out.
       O dear friend of Mine! O My brother so dear!
       Now you are expected, come join in cheer!"

 7.
I fell with great tears before God all divine,
My clothes all were rent in a humble sign.
And this loving God names me one of His own.
Forgiving my sins—O! such Mercy shown!

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  Additional version in a church setting:

O, If Forever — О, Если б Навеки

1.

О, если б навеки я мог быть Твоим,

O, yesli b naveki ya mog byt' Tvoim,

O, if forever I could be Yours

У ног Твоих нежно внимая,

U nog Tvoikh nezhno vnimaya,

At feet [of] Yours gently listening

Я б слушал покорно с восторгом живым

YA b slushal pokorno s vostorgom zhivym

I would listen obediently with delight living

О повестях чудного рая.

O povestyakh chudnogo raya.

About stories [of] wonderful Paradise (Heaven).

2.

О счастье, о мире, о жизни, любви

O schast'ye, o mire, o zhizni, lyubvi

About happiness, about peace, about life, love

Ты книгу Свою открывал бы.

Ty knigu Svoyu otkryval by.

You [the] book [of] Yours open/unlock/reveal would

И вечным блаженством, как ангел в тиши,

I vechnym blazhenstvom, kak angel v tishi,

And eternal bliss/joy, like [an] angel in silence,

Я душу свою наполнял бы.

YA dushu svoyu napolnyal by.

I soul [of] mine fill would.

3.

О, если б навеки я мог быть Твоим,

O, yesli b naveki ya mog byt' Tvoim,

O, if forever I could be Yours,

К груди Твоей нежно прижаться.

K grudi Tvoyey nezhno prizhat'sya.

To bossom [of] Yours gently press.

Я всё , всё земное отдал бы другим,

YA vso , vso zemnoye otdal by drugim,

I everything, everything earth give would [to] others

Чтоб только Твоим называться.

Chtob tol'ko Tvoim nazyvat'sya.

So that only Yours called.

4.

И слышится мне, будто кто-то в тиши

I slyshitsya mne, budto kto-to v tishi

And is heard to me, as if someone in silence

Меня, утешая, ласкает.

Menya, uteshaya, laskayet.

Me comforts, caresses,

И шепчет мне тихо: "Давно от тебя

I shepchet mne tikho: "Davno ot tebya

And whispers [to] me softly: “For a long time from you

Решений твоих ожидаю.

Resheniy tvoikh ozhidayu.

Decision  yours [I] expect/await.

5.

Я душу Мою за тебя положил,

YA dushu Moyu za tebya polozhil,

I soul [of] Mine for you laid down,

Скитался Я здесь одиноко

Skitalsya YA zdes' odinoko

Wandered I here alone

И Кровью Своею тебя искупил,

I Krov'yu Svoyeyu tebya iskupil,

And [through] Blood my own you [I] redeemed,

Хотя ты отбился далеко.

Khotya ty otbilsya daleko.

Although you strayed far away.

6.

А ныне ты Мой, и сомненья твои

A nyne ty Moy, i somnen'ya tvoi

And now you [are] Mine, and doubts [of] yours

С тебя Я навеки снимаю.

S tebya YA naveki snimayu.

From you I forever remove.

О друг Мой! О брат Мой! Скорее иди,

O drug Moy! O brat Moy! Skoreye idi,

O friend Mine! O brother Mine! Hurry come.

Тебя Я давно ожидаю".

Tebya YA davno ozhidayu".

You I for a long time expecting/anticipating.”

7.

И пал я, рыдая, пред Богом моим,

I pal ya, rydaya, pred Bogom moim,

And fell I, weeping, before God [of] mine,

Одежды свои раздирая.

Odezhdy svoi razdiraya.

Clothes of my own rending.

А Бог мой меня называет Своим,

A Bog moy menya nazyvayet Svoim,

And God mine me names His Own,

За все и во всем мне прощая.

Za vse i vo vsem mne proshchaya.

For all and in all me forgiving.

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Note: this text is found in a Ukraine Hymnbook.

The tune as Simon sings it.