The Hanged Ballad
Human brothers that alive still you are
don't have for us frozen heart
that if mercy for us we wretched you have
God will grant you larger his favour.
Hanging five, six here you can see us
our flesh is once time too fatten
and by the time is devoured and ruined
our bones turn in ashes and dust.
No one laughed for the unwell that ravages us
but now pray God us to be absolved!
If we call you we don't have to disdain
'though we've been killed in justice
but still you know about good sense
many are lacking in this world.
As we're dead for us you can get
from the son of celestial Virgin
who dried up the grace that doesn't remain
and that saves us from the horrible flash!
Dead we are, no one molests us
but now pray God us to be absolved!
The shower has washed and cleaned us
and now the sun turns us black and dry
magpies and ravens our eyes have dug up
and birds and eyelashes snatched with the beaks.
We haven't peace for just a moment
here and there as the mind changes.
Without pauses as his pleasure we turn
bored more by bird than by thimbles.
Go with us you've never been equal
but now pray God us to be absolved!
Oh God who upon all you rule!
Don't let us feel the Hellish hot!
'Cause debts here don't have to be absolved!
Men here don't show mercy or irony
but now pray God us to be absolved!