Death to the king

Death to the king

Death to the king

Fra Kongers Konge jeg har Ordre, dig at hente.
Du kand nu ikke fleer af Livets Dage vente.
    Du veed, det sidste Maal for Jordens Guder er,
    At de skal alle døe som andre Mennesker.
Jeg dem, som Blomsterne, skal med min Lee afmeye ,
U=agtet all den Pragt og Magt, de har i Eye.
    Afleg din Majestet, og bøy dig for den GUd,
    Som gav dig Livets Lys, og kand det slukke ud.
Nu kand all jordisk Glands dig ikke meere Nytte.
Du følge maae med mig, og blive Ormers Bytte.
    En Ezechias græd, og skienktes femten Aar;
    Men du et Øyeblik af Tiden meer ey faaer.
From the king of kings I have orders to fetch you.
You cannot expect any more days of life.
    You know that the final goal of the gods of Earth is
    that they shall all die like other humans.
I shall mow them, like the flowers, with my scythe
disregarding the glory and power they posses.
    Leave off your majesty and bow for the God
    who gave you the kiss of life and can blow it out.
Now all the worldly brilliance cannot avail you any more.
You must follow me and become the prey of worms.
    An Ezechias wept and was given fifteen years;(1)
    but you shall not receive a moment more of time.

The king to Death

Forskrækkelsernes Helt! Kand du mig ikke skaane,
Og mig en liden Tid endnu af Livet laane?
    See, Folket elsker mig, og beder for mit Liv;
    Og jeg vil nødig bort fra all min Tids=Fordriv.
Kom hid om nogle Aar, naar jeg er gammel bleven.
Er da min Leve=Tid saa meget kort opskreven?
    Hvor ufuldkommen er dog Kongers Herlighed,
    Som for den grumme Død ey være kand i Fred!
Skal jeg da dandse med, som andre Dødelige,
Og uformodentlig Farvel til Verden sige?
    Vel an! jeg følger da med uforfærdet Mod.
    Spørg Rygtet siden ad, om jeg har været god.
Hero of terrors! Can't you spare me
and lend me a little moment of life?
    See, the people love me and are praying for my life;
    and I don't want to leave all my pastimes.
Come here in a few years, when I have grown old.
Has my life really been written down so short?
    How imperfect is the glory of kings,
    who cannot stay in peace for the grim Death!
Shall I then dance along, like other mortals
and unexpectedly say goodbye to the world?
    Well then! I shall follow with undaunted courage.
    Ask the reputation later, whether I have been good.

* * * *

Jo høyere af Stand og skinnende af Evne,
Jo meer forskrækkeligt er Dødens Navn at nævne;
    En Lazarus er glad, naar Døden komme vil;
    Men Sundhed, som har nok, for ham slaaer Døren til.
The higher of rank and shining of talent,
the more terrible it is to mention the name of Death;
    A Lazarus(2) is happy, when Death wants to come;
    But those who has enough health will shut the door for him.

Footnotes: (1) (2)

Ezechias . . .: in 2. Kings 20:1 Isaiah says to king Hezekiah: »And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; […]«.
Lazarus rocking his soul in the bosom of Abraham.
Lazarus
The story of Lazarus is told in Luke 16:19-23:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.