Shuddering breezes arrive from the churchyard;
O breezes! Did you happen to see my bride?
There appear many shadows, pale and horrid,
They make curtsies, they grin and nod: " Yes, we did! "

Quickly tell! What message are you bringing me,
You black villain in your fiery livery?
" My gracious mistress wishes to announce
That her dragon-driven car arrives at once. "

My dear little grey man, what is your desire?
Dear dead master of mine, what do you require?
He gazes a me with a mute, mournful face,
And, shaking his head, he returns to his base.

Why does the shaggy dog wag his tail and whine?
And why does the black cat's eyes so brightly shine?
Why howl the women, with flowing hair so long?
Why does my old nurse hum my old cradle-song?

To-day, the old nurse stays home with her refrains,
Of the old lullaby-song nothing remains.
To-day, I celebrate my gay wedding feast;
Watch over there, as arrives each gracious guest!

Only watch them! Good sirs, you look so gallant!
Your hands carry your head, instead of your hat!
With your shaking bones, as for gallows dressed,
Why arrive so late, when the wind is at rest?

Soon, the old witch, with her broom, comes riding on,
Bless me, o mother, for I'm really your son.
The mouth in her pallid face quivers, and then
The old witch replies: " Forever amen! "

Twelve withered musicians come creeping in,
Among them a limping blind fiddler is seen;
In his motley outfit, following their track,
Comes a clown with a grave-digger on his back.

Twelve dancing virgins from the convent advance,
With a crossed-eyed procuress leading the dance.
Twelve merry young priest closely follow their train,
Singing their lewd songs in a church-like refrain.

Junk-dealer, don't yell till you're black in the face,
In purgatory, your fur-coat has no place;
To heat over there, they don't need wood, instead,
They burn bones of kings and beggars who are dead.

The flower-girls appeared, hunchbacked and bent,
And they tumbled head over heels, as they went.
With your owl-like face and grasshopper's leg, please
I beg you, let that rattling of bones cease!

The whole of hell is loose, flows overboard,
Swarming noisily in an ever growing horde.
The waltz of damnation resounds in the ear
Be quiet! At last, is my sweetheart drawing near.

Now rabble, be quiet, or get out of the way!
I can hardly hear even one word I say;
Oh! Isn't that a car rattling along the way?
Misses cook! Open the door! Do not delay!

Welcome, my darling, and how is my sweet grace?
You are welcome, good parson! Please, do take place!
Good parson with hoof of a horse and with tail,
I am your dutiful servant, without fail!

Dear bride, why stand you, as dumb and pale as ever?
The parson has come to join us together.
And for this, as dearly as blood, I must pay,
Yet, to possess you, this is a mere child's play.

Kneel down, my sweet bride, kneel down beside me.
She kneels, she sinks. Oh glorious felicity!
She sinks on my heart, on my fast heaving breast;
I embrace her close, with a shuddering lust.

Around us float the golden waves of her hair;
Against my heart beats that of the maiden fair.
They beat with a union of pains and delights,
And hover in the region of Heaven's heights.

While our hearts float in this sea of delights,
There above, in the realm of God's holy heights,
On our heads, like the most gruesome of all brands,
We could feel that hell has imposed her dreadful hands.

And, this is no one but the dark son of night,
Who, as parson, bestows the priest's blessing rite;
From his bloody book, a formula he murmurs,
Each prayer is hatred, each blessing is curse.

One hears a crashing, a hissing, a howling,
Like wildly-roaring waves and thunders rolling,
When suddenly a bluish light brightly flames,
" For ever Amen! " the old mother proclaims.