15th Century English
Erthe out of erthe is wonderly wroghte
Erthe hase geten one erthe a dignite of noghte
Erthe upon erthe hase sett alle his thoghte
How that erthe upon erthe may be heghe broghte
Erthe upon erthe wolde be a kinge
Bot how erthe to erthe shall thinkes he no thinge
When erthe bredes erthe and his rentes home bringe
Thane shall erthe of erthe have full harde parting
Memento, homo, quad cinis es
Et in cenerem reverentis
Erthe upon erthe winnes castells and towrres
Thane sayse erthe unto erthe, "This es al ourres"
When erthe upon erthe has bigged up his barres
Thane shall erthe for erthe suffere sharpe scowrres
Memento, homo, quad cinis es
Et in cenerem reverentis
Erthe goes upon erthe as molde upon molde
He that gose upon erthe, gleterande as golde
Like erthe never more go to erthe sholde
And yitt shall erthe unto erthe ga rathere than he wolde
Whye erthe lurves erthe, wondere me thinke
Or why erthe for erthe sholde other swete or swinke
For when erthe upon erthe has broughte within brinke
Thane shall erthe of erthe have a foul stinke
Memento, homo, quad cinis es
Et in cenerem reverentis
Memento, homo, quad cinis es
Et in cenerem reverentis
Translation:
Earth has been miraculously created out of earth
Earth has attained a high position on earth out of nothing
Earth has fixed all his thoughts
On trying to raise earth to heaven on earth
Earth wants to be an earthly king
But earth doesn't have a clue how on earth to go about it
When earth breeds earth and brings his reward home
Earth and earth will have to bid each other a tragic farewell
Remember, o man, that you are ashes
And into ashes you will return
Earth conquers castles and towers on earth
Then says earth to the earth, "All of this belongs to us"
When earth has built up his defences on earth
That is when earth will really get his come-uppance from earth
Remember, o man, that you are ashes
And into ashes you will return
Earth is piled up on earth like dirt on dirt
He who swans around the earth, glittering like gold
As though earth won't really have to return to earth
Will soon find earth indeed becoming earth again, no matter how much he tries to fight it
I really wonder why earth loves earth
Or why earth should toil and work for earth's sake
Because when earth is brought to the earth of his grave
Earth back in the earth will stink to high heaven
Remember, o man, that you are ashes
And into ashes you will return
Remember, o man, that you are ashes
And into ashes you will return