Coplas por la Muerte de su Padre

Remember the sleeping soul, revive the mind and wake up
contemplating
how life passes, how death comes
so quietly
even when pleasure quickly goes away when remembered
it gives pain
how in our opinion any past time
was better

This world is the path to the other, which is the dwelling place
without regret
but it is necessary to have good sense to walk this journey
without erring
we depart when we are born, we walk while we live
and we arrive
at the time we perish, so when we die
we rest

The pleasures and sweetness of this worked life
that we have
are nothing but corridors and death the trap
in which we fall
not looking at our harm we run freely
without stopping
and we see the deception and want to turn around
there is no place

Those powerful kings that we read about
in past writings
with sad and tearful stories, their good fortunes
overturned
so there is nothing strong, that to Pope, emperors
and prelates
death treats them the same as poor shepherds
of cattle

After having put life so many times by its law
on the board
after having served so well the crown of its true king
after so many feats that cannot be enough
a certain account
in the town of Ocaña death came to call
at its door

Saying good knight, leave the deceitful world
and its flatteries
let your heart of steel show its famous strength
in this moment
and since you made so little account of life and health
for fame
let virtue strive to endure this affront
that calls you

So with such understanding all human senses
preserved
circled by his wife and his children and brothers
and servants
and the soul that gave it, which saw it in heaven
in its glory
and although he lost his life, he left us
his memory