THE PREACHER TO ALL
Creatures of reason, rich and poor,
Young and old, each and all
See the mirror laid before
And think that Death is bound to call
To everyone, as you will find.
We become one with the Lord
By doing good, so keep in mind
Your every deed has its reward.
And I advise you, children dear,
Do not lead your flock astray,
But before your Death appears
A good example do display.

DEATH TO ALL
To this dance I bid you all.
Pope and Emperor, everyone,
Rich and poor man, great and small.
Tears are useless! Step in, come!
At all times be sure to bear
Works of good, and make it so
You are free of sin and care
Before you join our merry show.

DEATH TO THE POPE
Highest of this graded line,
Let us lead, your hand in mine.
You who stood in stead of God,
An earthy father, praised and awed
By all mankind: follow me,
And become this face you see.
The bulls you bound are sealed and fast
But your highness could not last.

THE POPE
Oh dear God, what use is station?
Reached the peak of my vocation
I become, for so I must,
Like yourself, Death, earth and dust.
In rank and wealth no use I find
Now I leave all things behind.
Take example, future host,
You who’ll bear the weight I lost.

THE EMPEROR
Death most foul, your horrid figure
Changes in me all my nature.
I stood highly, mighty, rich,
And my power was unmatched.
Kings and princes, lords and rulers
Bent the knee and did me honour.
Now you’ve come, you awful form,
To turn my self to feed the worm.

DEATH TO THE EMPEROR
You were chosen, high elect,
So to safeguard and protect
The churches of the Christian bless
With the sword of righteousness.
A haughty mist did make you blind
And dimmed away such task from mind
As you forgot my coming near.
Empress, come, now you must here.

THE EMPRESS
Death means me. It must be so.
Never have I felt such woe.
I fancied fault in his address
For I am young and emperesse,
and thinking I was powerful
I’d spared no thought to Death at all,
For what harm could come to me?
I beg you, spare me: now I see.

DEATH TO THE EMPRESS
Empress, you insolent display,
It seems you’d thought not of this day
For you amaze now I appear.
I won’t spare you, but no fear.
In the grave you soon will find
Your fate is shared by all mankind.
Join this play, then, step in, fall!
And you, follow, Cardinal.

THE CARDINAL
Mercy, Lord, it must be so!
There’s no escaping you, I know,
For be it front or be it rear
I feel Death is always near.
What’s the use of this high grade?
What was mine I now must trade,
Forsaking it as I transfer
To state below the lowly cur.

DEATH TO THE CARDINAL
You were judged in status worth
God’s apostles here on earth
To support the Christian creed
Through fair speech and virtuous deed.
From the horse of arrogance
You cast down a haughty glance,
Reason more to fear my sting.
Step forward here, now, noble King!

THE KING
Death, your words do scare me so!
This dance of yours I do not know.
Dukes, knights, and servants plenty
Served me dishes rich and dainty.
Those below me did not word
What I disliked and wished unheard.
Unexpectedly you’ve come
To rob me of my royal dom.

THE KING
All your thoughts you chose to bend
To vain splendour. To what end?
You must now into the soil.
Become like me, degrade and spoil.
Your kingdom’s era bears the stain
Of injustice, and the shame
Of cruel acts to those in need.
Bishop, follow now your betters’ lead.
[End of the fragment in Tallin]