The King

    der Tod
Denk an den wahren Spruch den Syrach abgefaßt:
Der heute König heißt, liegt Morgen gar erblaßt.(1)
Alsdan so kan man dich nicht mehr großmæchtig schreiben,
Weil deine Macht zu schwach die Würmer zu vertreiben.

    Death
Remember the true saying that Sirach wrote:
"He who is called king today, lies pale tomorrow".(1)
Then you can no longer be called almighty,
because your power is too weak to drive the worms away.

    der König
Steckt den des Todes Faust auch Königen ihr Ziel?
So gleicht das Regiment dem Schach u. Königsspiel.
Mein Scepter streckte sich von Süden zu dem Norden,
Nun bin ich durch den Tod besetzt, u. schachmatt worden.

    The King
Does the fist of Death also set kings as target?
Then his regime is like chess and a game of kings.
My sceptre stretched from the south to the north;
now I am occupied by Death and made checkmate.

    X. Death to the King.
Think, royal sir, on Sirach's words,
The king, to-day beset with lords,
Tomorrow lies a corpse most pale.(1)
What vanity, that man so frail,
Should stile him mighty in his ermine,
Who can't preserve himself from vermin?

    XI. King's answer.
How! lift thy hand against a prince!
Thus regal state is mere pretence,
A game at hazard or at chess;
Than living beggar now made less.
Death takes from me my wide domains,
And nothing but a grave remains.