Ad Mortem Festinamus
Luc Arbogast Lyrics

Ad mortem festinamus:
We hasten towards death

Peccare desistamus.
We should stop sinning.

Scribere proposui de contemptu mundano,
I propose to write about contempt for the world,

Ut degentes seculi non mulcentur in vano;
So that people of the world may not be deceived in vain

Iam est hora surgere a sompno mortis pravo.
It is now time to arise from the sleep of wicked death.

Vita brevis breviter in brevi finietur,
Life is short and will end quickly,

Mors venit velociter quae neminem veretur,
Death comes quickly and fears no one,

Omnia mors perimit et nulli miseretur.
Death destroys everything and has no mercy.

Ni conversus fueris et sicut puer factus
Unless you turn and become like a child

Et vitam mutaveris in meliores actus,
And change your life for the better

Intrare non poteris regnum Dei beatus.
You will not be able to enter the blessed kingdom of God.

Tuba cum sonuerit, dies erit extrema,
When the trumpet sounds, it will be the last day

Et iudex advenerit, vocabit sempiterna
And the judge will come, calling for eternal punishment,

Electos in patria, prescitos ad inferna.
The chosen will go to heaven, the condemned to hell.

Quam felices fuerint, qui cum christo regnabunt;
How happy will those reign with Christ;

Facie ad faciem sic eum spectabunt,
They will look upon him face to face,

Sanctus, sanctus dominus sabaoth conclamabunt.
Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts they will cry out.

Et quam tristes fuerint, qui eterne peribunt,
How sad will those be who will perish eternally,

Pene non deficient, nec propter has obibunt,
They will barely survive and will not overcome this,

Heu, heu, heu, miserrimi, numquam inde exibunt.
Alas, alas, alas, the wretched will never escape.

Cuncti reges seculi et in mundo magnates
All the kings of the world and the mighty,

Adventant et clerici omnesque potestates,
The clergy and all the powers,

Fiant velut parvuli, dimitant vanitates.
Will become like children, abandoning vanities.

Heu, fratres karissimi, si digne contemplemus
Alas, dearest brothers, if we contemplate worthily

Passionem domini, amare et si flemus,
The passion of the Lord, loving and weeping;

Ut pupillam occuli servabit, ne peccemus.
Let us keep it as the apple of our eye, so that we do not sin.

Alma virgo virginum, in celis coronata,
Nourishing Virgin of virgins, crowned in heaven,

Apud tuum filium sis nobis advocata
Be an advocate for us with your Son,

Et post hoc exilium ocurrens mediata.
And, after this exile, intercede for us.

O mors, quam amara est memoria tua.
Oh death, how bitter is your memory.

Vile cadaver eris. Cur non peccare vereris?
You will be a worthless corpse. Why are you not afraid of sin?

Cur intumescere quearis?
Why do you swell up?

Vile cadaver eris, Ut quid pecuniam quearis?
You will be a worthless corpse. Why do you care about money?

Quid vestes pomposas geris?
Why do you wear fine clothes?

Vile cadaver eris, Ut quid honores quearis?
You will be a worthless corpse. Why do you seek honor?

Cur non paenitens confiteris?
Why don't you confess and repent?

Vile cadaver eris. Contra proximum non leteris.
You will be a worthless corpse. You do not love your neighbor.