Where are they who in this world, ere we kept, were keeping? 
    Come unto the churchyard, thou! see where they are sleeping! 
    Dust and ashes are they, worms in their flesh are creeping. 
      Rise up, rise, be vigilant; trim your lamp, be ready.

    Into life each man is born with great teen and trouble: 
    All through life he drags along; toil on toil is double: 
    When life’s done, the pangs of death take him, break the bubble. 
      Rise up, rise, be vigilant; trim your lamp, be ready.

    If from sin thou hast been turned, born a new man wholly,
    Changed thy life to better things, childlike, simple, holy;
    Thus into God’s realm shalt thou enter with the lowly. 
      Rise up, rise, be vigilant; trim your lamp, be ready.

Having alluded to Gaudeamus Igitur, I shall close my translations with a version of it into English.  The dependence of this lyric upon the rhythm and substance of the poem on Contempt for the World, which I have already indicated, is perhaps the reason why it is sung by German students after the funeral of a comrade.  The Office for the Dead sounding in their ears, occasions the startling igitur with which it opens; and their mind reverts to solemn phrases in the midst of masculine determination to enjoy the present while it is yet theirs.

GAUDEAMUS IGITUR.

No. 60.

    Let us live then and be glad
      While young life’s before us! 
          After youthful pastime had,
          After old age hard and sad,
      Earth will slumber o’er us.

    Where are they who in this world,
      Ere we kept, were keeping? 
          Go ye to the gods above;
          Go to hell; inquire thereof: 
      They are not; they’re sleeping.

    Brief is life, and brevity
      Briefly shall be ended: 
          Death comes like a whirlwind strong,
          Bears us with his blast along;
      None shall be defended.

    Live this university,
      Men that learning nourish;
          Live each member of the same,
          Long live all that bear its name;
      Let them ever flourish!

    Live the commonwealth also,
      And the men that guide it! 
          Live our town in strength and health,
          Founders, patrons, by whose wealth
      We are here provided!

    Live all girls!  A health to you,
      Melting maids and beauteous! 
          Live the wives and women too,
          Gentle, loving, tender, true,
      Good, industrious, duteous!

    Perish cares that pule and pine! 
      Perish envious blamers! 
          Die the Devil, thine and mine! 
          Die the starch-necked Philistine! 
      Scoffers and defamers!

XXII.