Wo mannich sine sele dârmede vordomet;
Wente de sik hîr sulven alsus vorhoget,
De wert nedder to der hellen geboget
Mit den duvelen, dede dorch den homôt vellen
Van dem hemmel wente nedder to der hellen.
De doet Dat lxviii ghesette.
ille wi Godes hofgesinde werden,
So mote wi manliken vechten up desser erden,
Wente des minschen levent is eine ridderschop,
So heft geschreven de hilge duldige Job.
De wech, de to dem ewigen levende geit,
Is gans smâl unde enge, alse in dem hilgen ewangelio geschreven steit;
De wech to der hellen is brêt, grôt, dârvor gruwet mi sere.
Vele minschen wanderen den, sprikt unse leve here;
Vele sint geeschet, wenich ûtvorkoren vorwâr;
Dit sint harde worde, de dâr stân geschreven openbâr.
Hîrumme latet ju desse figuren vor ogen stân,
Wente in korten tiden mote gi dâran.
De stunde unde de dach is Gode allene bekant,(1)
Wente alle dink heft he in siner hant.
Levet so, alse gi gerne willen sterven,
So gift ju Got dat hemmelrike to einem erven,
Wente de dôt sendet ju nenen brêf;
He kumt sliken recht so ein dêf.(2)
De siner selen salicheit mit truwen menet
Unde Gode mit allem vlite denet
Unde de bode Godes heft ûtvorsên,
Dat he der nicht wil breken nergen nên,
Unde deit bicht, ruwe unde bote vor sine sunde,
Desse de schal sik vrowen to des dodes stunde,
Wente denne kricht he sines arbeides einen ende,
Wan he schedet ût dessen jamerliken elende.
Dorch den natûrliken dôt entvange wi dat ewige lôn,
Alse dorch eine dôr ga wi dorch den dôt in Godes trôn.
Scholde Cristus komen in sîn rike,
Erst sterf he vor uns algelike.
De knecht is nicht boven sinen heren;(3)
Alsus en kone wi uns des dodes nicht weren,
He kumt, it si uns lêf efte leit.
Hîrumme waket unde weset alle tît bereit,
Sede Cristus unse leve here;
Eme si lof, dank unde ewige ere.
De dit heft gedicht unde laten sette,
Got mote siner nummermêr vorgetten
Unde vorgeve em sine sunde klein unde grôt,
Unde helpe uns allen ût aller nôt,
So wan de dôt de sele schedet van deme live,
Dat se denne jo ewich mit Gode blive.
A m e n
O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti
in substantiis suis. Ecclesiastici xli.(4)
Gedichtet unde gesat in der keiserliken stat Lubek
na der bort Jesu Cristi
mcccclxxxix
Click the little pictures to the left to see the original pages.
The first printer's mark is the double eagle from the city arms of Lübeck.
The third printer's mark shows the three poppy fruits. The printery was anonymous
but since they always displayed 3 poppy fruits they are called
Mohnkopf today (Mohnkopf is the German word for poppy fruit).
2 other examples are displayed to the right.
The last printer's mark is also typical for the Mohnkopf printery and shows the letter F
with a cross.
(1)
Matthew 24,36:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man,
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
(also Mark 13,32).
(3)
Matthew 10:24:
"The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.".
(4)
The book of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) 41:1:
"O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man
that liveth at rest in his possessions[...]".
Click the little pictures to the left to see the original pages.
The first printer's mark is the double eagle from the city arms of Lübeck.
The third printer's mark shows the three poppy fruits. The printery was anonymous
but since they always displayed 3 poppy fruits they are called
Mohnkopf today (Mohnkopf is the German word for poppy fruit).
2 other examples are displayed to the right.
The last printer's mark is also typical for the Mohnkopf printery and shows the letter F
with a cross.
Lübeck's dance of death
Manuscripts
ille wi Godes hofgesinde werden,
A m e n