Leben – och! – wa ist ni schön!
Dod is wul so swar!
Un de Karkhof is so neeg,
Dicht an unsen Garn.

Living ... Oh, how beautiful!
Death seems, oh, so hard!
And the churchyard is so close
To our flower yard!

Seeg ik na de Krüz un Steen,
Seeg ik na de Maan,
Hör ik sach de Karkenklock
Still un truri gan.

When I see stones and crosses,
When I see the moon
I hear the church bell softly ring
Its melancholy tune.

Och! un dochen rükt de Blom,
Un min Hart dat sleit!
Süh! un ünnern Appelbom,
Süh mal, wull dar steit!

Yet, flowers do smell heavenly.
Of my heartbeat I’m aware.
Look! And under the apple tree!
Look! Who’s standing there!

Kumm, dat Leben is so schön!
Dod is wul en Drom.
Lat uns æwern Karkhof sehn
Mank de Büsch un Blom’.

Come on! Life’s a lovely bloom,
Death a dream, you know.
Let’s look past the churchyard gloom
To flowers that there grow!