Totentanz

May you rest peacefully in my grasp,
may you find some meager last solace while held in my gaze.
For I blink not,
nor waver in my grim purpose.
Know that even as my hand is upon your shoulder,
I grip your still-beating heart in my hand.
You are but a scrap to me,
the simple makings of this world.
Lost in the innumerable multitude,
your once valuable inner workings are reduced
to the humors of the universe.
Come now with me,
in fear or in peace.
Come join my dance.
Graf Jos. v. Abica
I call everybody to this dance
pope, emperor and all creatures,
poor, rich, great and small.
Step forward, because grieving doesn't help you!
But consider well, at all times,
that you bring good works with you,
and become free of your sins,
because you must dance to my pipe.
Mr pope, you are the highest now,
let us lead the dance, I and you!
Though you have stood in God's stead,
an earthly father, honour and dignity received
from the whole world, you must
follow me and become, as I am.
Your loosing and binding, that was firm
The highness you will lose now.
Oh Lord, what does it avail me
though I had risen high in station,
and I must at once become
like you, a pile of earth.
Neither highness nor riches avail me,
when I must leave everything.
Take here example, those who after me are
pope, as I was in my time!
Oh Death, your terrible figure
changes for me all my nature.
I was mighty and rich,
The highest in power without peer.
Kings, princes and lords
had to bow for me and honour me.
Now you come, you horrible form,
to make me food for worms.
You were chosen, will you realize that,
to protect and preserve
the holy churches of Christianity
with the sword of justice.
But haughtiness has blinded you,
you have not recognised yourself
My arrival was not on your mind!
Turn here now, Empress!
I know, Death means me!
I was never terrified so greatly!
I thought he was not in his right mind,
after all, I am young and also an empress.
I thought I had a lot of power,
I had not thought of him
or that anybody could do something against me.
Oh, let me live on, this I implore you!
Empress, highly presumptuous,
I think, you have forgotten me.
Fall in! It is now time.
You thought I should let you off?
No way! And were you ever so much,
You must participate in this play,
And you others, everybody --
Now step here in front you too, King!
Oh Death, your speech has terrified me,
this dance I have never learned.
Dukes, knights and knaves
bring expensive courses to me
and everybody took care, words
to speak, that I didn't want to hear.
Now you come unexpected,
and bereaves me of my entire kingdom!
All your thoughts you had turned
to worldly splendour.
What's the use? You must into the earth
and be shaped like me.
Justice turned and twisted
have you let reign under you,
showing the poor no pity!
Now, I come to you, Nobleman!
Now step forward, no lament will help you,
you must bear your fate yourself.
It will be difficult for you.
Nothing can follow you
except your works be they good or bad.
Your reward is after your deed.
No one can take this from you.
Man, come here, I will sing for you.
Death, I beg you for respite.
Let me tell: My time
I have used badly.
I paid little heed to dying.
My thoughts were to satisfy -
to lust for idle things.
I was hard on my peasants.
Now I must travel and know not where.
Had you shared your goods
with the poor then you would be at ease now.
The complainers complained their need,
never would you hear them speak.
You were paid your farm rent.
You did not desire me,
that I once suddenly came here.
Come join the dance, Physican!
Great wages shall you receive.
For your work that you have done,
God will reward you thousandfold,
and in the eternal life crown you.
But your fraudulence may also
bring you in great strife.
Will you regret your sins!
Follow after, Master Medicine.
I would like postponement, if it might be;
I have cured many people
who were suffering from great diseases.
But against you [helps neither] small nor great;
neither [medical] art nor medicine helps.
Now I surrender myself to the pain.
I have been looked at by Death,
what[ever] fate that shall happen to me.
Death answers the physician and turns to the usurer
You shall receive a just sentence
according to the works that you have done.
You have, God knows this well,
brought many into great danger.
Taken large fees from the poor,
that often rightly belonged to him.
Always you took great sums for it.
Merchant, follow from this moment.
It's far from me to be prepared.
I have had great pains yo obtain goods.
By land and by water
trough wind, rain and snow.
No travel has been so hard for me
my reckoning is not ready.
Had I done my reckoning
then I would gladly go with you.
Have you done nothing else,
in business, than what you were given,
you shall receive justice,
when all things come before the court.
Have you then kept safe
and your business totally in order.
Were you different, that isn't good.
Come into my rank, Pesant.
I would like to put off this dance.
So far I have used all my time
on work,
and thought, day and night,
on how to cultivate my field,
so that it could be full of fruit
to pay my farm rent.
I did not pay heed to death.
Great work have you done.
God will not disdain you
with your work and toil.
It is right, I'm just saying it,
God will reward you
in His highest hall.
Do not fear for a twinkling.
Step over here, youth.
I can taste the temptations of the world now.
You have chosen the time badly.
You come here, sneaking,
and want to catch me in your net.
The world has promised me luck,
and if it disappoints me, then it's deceitful.
Go away, let me have fun,
In my older days, I'll convert.
In the night the thieves walk.
I sneak around.
A young man should in time turn himself
to God; his own lusts deceive him.
Here is no continuing city.
Had you been hated by the world,
it would be better for you than its love.
Maiden, I'm beginning to dance with you.
I would rather be without this dance
I am a young beautiful girl.
I feel the temptations of the world.
I did not know of your arrival.
Now you're coming quickly and terrify me.
I didn't know, you were here.
Had I become a nun
then I would gladly step into your order.
Little infant, that were just born,
Shaped in this world, to have no purpose.
You must, as others, that have gone here before
Be laid in haste
to go unto my dance.
Have this rememberance:
Who lives longest, shall suffer most.
A word I can not speak
I am so young; I was born yesterday.
Death is so hastily wreaked upon my
and does not linger, makes no delay.
I came but now, and now go on my way.
Of me no tale shall be told.
No man withstands the will of God.
A young man dies as one who is old.
The Dance of Death was taken mostly from 15th century Low German writings from Lubeck. Some passages, including the final two, I actually translated from 16th century Middle English.
Obviously, I did not translate the Low German. Here is a page of the original text.