Mediaeval Baebes The Erthe Upon Erthe Lyrics

Erthe Upon Erthe Lyrics

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