Are You Weary - Hymn With Lyrics

1. Are you weary, are you heavyhearted?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Chorus:
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.

2. 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.

3. Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

4. 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.

Scripture; 

Proverbs 18:24, 

Matthew 14:12, 

Luke 11:9, 

Ephesians 6:18

The hymn "Are You Weary, Are You Heavy Laden?"—often simply referred to as “Are You Weary?”—is a deeply tender and compassionate invitation to the soul that is burdened, exhausted, or seeking rest in Christ. The hymn was originally written by John Mason Neale (1818–1866), a 19th-century Anglican priest, scholar, and hymn translator, and is a loose English adaptation of a much older Greek text from the early Christian church.

The original text that inspired this hymn was a portion of a long Greek poem titled “Jesu, Name All Names Above” written by St. Stephen the Sabaite, a monk who lived in the 8th century in the deserts of Palestine. St. Stephen was a nephew and disciple of St. John of Damascus and lived in the monastic community of Mar Saba near Jerusalem. His writings, mostly devotional poetry, were rich with expressions of yearning, trust, and reverence for Christ.

John Mason Neale, who is best known for his work translating ancient and medieval hymns into English, discovered this Greek text and rendered it into a lyrical English paraphrase in the mid-19th century. Neale was a man of deep learning and piety, though often criticized by his contemporaries in the Church of England for his sympathy toward ancient liturgical traditions and rituals. He founded the Society of Saint Margaret and spent much of his life aiding the poor and ill, even as he labored to bring the treasures of ancient Christian worship into the English-speaking world.

“Are You Weary?” was first published in 1862 in Neale’s collection Hymns of the Eastern Church. It immediately stood out for its unusual style: a series of questions and answers that gently lead the hearer toward Christ. The hymn’s format is a kind of dialogue, where a soul seeking hope poses questions, and the answer consistently points to the person and heart of Jesus.

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

The repeated assurance is that Christ knows, understands, and welcomes those who are burdened. The hymn echoes Jesus' own words in Matthew 11:28 (KJV): “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The early versions of Neale’s hymn used slightly different phrasing and structure than the modern form most familiar today. Some versions start with:

Art thou weary, art thou languid,
Art thou sore distressed?
“Come to Me,” saith One, “and coming,
Be at rest.”

Over time, the hymn has been slightly adapted and sometimes retitled. In American hymnals, the version arranged by Elisha A. Hoffman, who wrote the music and adapted the text under the title “Are You Weary, Are You Heavy Laden?”, became particularly popular. Hoffman was a prolific 19th-century American hymn writer and composer, known for hymns like “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” and “I Must Tell Jesus.” He preserved Neale’s spirit of gentle encouragement but made the phrasing more direct and accessible to congregational singing.

The hymn’s enduring power lies in its gentle, pastoral tone and its direct appeal to human need. It does not begin with lofty theology but with heartfelt questions—Are you weary? Are you sorrowful? Are you struggling?—and answers each one with the sufficiency of Christ. It reminds the singer that Jesus, who suffered and triumphed, now stands ready to comfort and carry every weary heart.

“Are You Weary?” is often used in revival meetings, personal devotion, and funerals, especially where comfort and assurance are needed. It carries no triumphalism but is full of quiet confidence in the compassion and presence of Christ.

Through Neale’s scholarship and heart, and through Hoffman’s musical setting, the voice of a desert monk from the 8th century continues to echo across centuries: inviting the weary, the burdened, and the broken to find their rest in Jesus alone.