Oberufer Three Kings Play

ANGEL SPEAKS:
I enter amid all mockery,
God grant you a beautiful evening,
a beautiful good evening, a blissful time,
which the Lord from heaven gives us.
Honorable, wise, gracious lords,
also virtuous women and maidens in all earnestness
please do not be annoyed,
listen for a little while.
What we are about to bring you
is not invented by us,
nor is it conceived by pagans,
but is taken from the Holy Scriptures,
namely from the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which has come to us as a comfort,
as well as from the wise men from the East,
who are known throughout the world.
They have traveled a long journey
as every traveler knows.
They first came to Jerusalem
and asked about the newborn child.
Herod was greatly distressed about this
and his priests, well versed
in the Holy Scriptures, soon searched
and asked him how it was.
So if you want to hear it in peace,
be quiet and don't say too much.
AB. KING MELCHERT SPEAKS:
My compass and all my instruments
bring them here quickly,
as Venus consorts with the sun
behold what else is now before me:
do not forget the glory of heaven
there appears a star that has never been seen before
a great splendor, exceedingly beautiful!
Where might this star have come from?
It is not so far from us
that it might indicate something strange.
Right in the middle stands a virgin
carrying a child, as I see it,
her forehead is of great splendor
indeed, she surpasses this star;
it does not stand still in any place
but moves faster and faster.
The child that the virgin carries
as I see it, moves more often.
You, Pagi, call the mathematician
who will explain this great wonder to us.
It is difficult for anyone to tell us
why the virgin is carrying a child. PAGI SPEAKS:
Most gracious king, I have heard your words
I will soon bring Viligrazian. KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
Viligratian, can you not tell me about this star? VILIGRATIA SPEAKS: Most gracious king, I truly have
no knowledge of this star,
I will consult the prophets about it
to see if I can deduce anything from them.
The prophet Isaiah did hint at something
and prophesied to us with these words:
That recently in Bethlehem there would be born
a king, the Messiah of heaven and earth. KING MELCHERT SPEAKS:
I believe what the prophet wants to indicate
will be fulfilled in Bethlehem,
so I worry about
what I should present to the child as
a gift? I will take a sum of gold with me,
for gold befits a king,
especially a king of heaven and earth,
I hope he will be pleased with me.
Pagi, turn all your diligence
so that we may make ourselves ready for the journey.
Viligratia, I entrust the regament to you
until I have completed the journey. VILIGRATIA SPEAKS:
Most gracious king, according to your wishes,
I will take care of the regency.
AB. KING WALTHAUSER: My courtiers have told me today
of a miracle that happened overnight.
A star that shines brightly
in which a young maiden appeared,
together with a king of heaven and earth
incense must be offered;
a little child, so fine and delicate
was considered a special miracle.
To see this star and miracle,
go out into the streets;
Do you find the matter so strange
as I was told by my servants:
Oh, miracle, I have never heard of such a thing,
from a well-attested story:
A pure virgin and mother at the same time,
whose little child is king of the poor and rich!
The star leads us to Bethlehem,
as if we should all travel there.
But I cannot fathom this mystery,
as can be clearly found among the learned:
a child is born,
he will be the King of the Jews.
Therefore, I will set out in the morning
and see if I can find the child. KING CASPAR: O great wonder, O supreme joy, for the time has come when the long-awaited Messiah is born of a chosen virgin. Such a star proves this to us and commands our respect, by making this story known, which the Jews consider to be a poem: with violent gestures they draw near until they have found it. But what gift and offering should it be so that the child may also be satisfied? For he is a king of heaven and earth and in the fairy tale, an offering must be made. With such an offering I will provide for myself I hope to pass before the child with it. COMPANY SINGS:
How beautifully the wise star shines upon us,
surely the King of the Magi
must have come into this world. Oh wise ones, dearest wise ones
tell me this truth purely
where did you learn it?
Cheerful, vigorous!
Hurry from afar
to the star
to the land
where the King of the Earth was found. KING MELCHORT ENTERS WITH HIS LACKEY. THE LACKEY SPEAKS:
Most gracious king, many strangers are coming
whose number cannot be measured or counted
it almost seems as if there were a king among them
who rules us freely. King MELCHORT SPEAKS:
Let me stay here a little while,
until I meet them. THE LACKEY EXITS, AND THE TWO KINGS ENTER. KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
Greetings, dear lords,
where do your hearts, minds, and spirits lie? KING WALTHAUSER SPEAKS:
Greetings to you and your court,
where are you headed with such pomp? KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
Your kindness is much appreciated
our thoughts are with Jerusalem. THE THREE KINGS UNITE. KING KASPAR SPEAKS:
Since you have been asked, please tell me
what you intend to do in Jerusalem. KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
In Isaiah it is clearly written
that a beautiful poor child
will be born in Bethlehem
as a king of heaven and earth.
This has been revealed by the star,
how wondrous it was:
in this last period
the child has already been born. KING WALTHAUSER SPEAKS:
I can tell you with certainty
that this has happened in our land. We have seen a star there, in which a virgin stands with a child, now this comes to light what was hidden among the heathens. KING KASPAR SPEAKS:
This is what set me on my way,
which is considered a great miracle,
which we eagerly desire to find,
if there is no means or way to avoid it. KING MELCHIOR SPEAKS:
But because the star wants to leave us
which we have taken as a sign,
and all roads and paths are unknown to us,
we must not rely on any means
because we are all strangers and unknown in this land:
if you wish, we will abandon our journey
and enter the city of Jerusalem.
Alda inquires about this story
Alda inquire about this story
whether we would not like to have a better report. THE THREE KINGS SING:
Three kings are traveling, the star shining ahead,
the star came to rest over Bethlehem.
Above the house
the star came to a standstill. COMPANY SINGS IN:
1. The wise men of Herod's time,
from the Orient so far away,
2. when they came to Jerusalem,
Christ had already been born.
3. They asked freely in the city,
where the new king was born,
4. Who was promised to the Jews,
they should clearly indicate. AB. KING HEROD ENTERS WITH LAKEI AND SPEAKS:
When I become discontented
I go and enjoy myself!
In my kingdom, the Jews' council
worldly and spiritual magistrates
have obeyed and agreed
that I should be king here.
Today we will hold court
and speak with young and old,
who will all come
into my royal hall,
where we have been waiting.
Lackey, see who is knocking at the door. LAKEY SPEAKS:
Gracious king, many foreign people are coming,
so many that there is no end to them,
bringing with them many lords and kings,
I do not know if they want to surround us.
They are dressed in magnificent clothes,
they enter almost proudly and magnificently. KING HEROD SPEAKS:
Find out where they come from
or what they intend to do. THE SERVANT BRINGS THE ANSWER. THE SERVANT SPEAKS TO KING MELCHORT:
Their lordships wish to know, Your Majesty,
the reason for their coming to the city,
the lineage from which they are descended,
since they come from foreign lands. KING MELCHORT REPLIES:
We are all three born of royal stock,
two come from Sheba, the third from Morn,
we wish to greet King Herod himself
if it does not displease him. HEROD SPEAKS:
Let them all come quickly
into my palace. LAKAI SPEAKS TO THE THREE KINGS:
My gracious lord king desires your presence
and wishes you to explain your business yourselves. THE THREE KINGS COME TO HEROD, WHO SAYS:
Welcome, gentlemen, how is it
that you come to me from a foreign land? KING WALTHAUSER'S OFFERING:
Now I come too, O gentle king,
O noble hero of high birth,
I desire you from the bottom of my heart,
a star has led me to you,
take the offering of incense,
as is the custom of all kings,
my lord, if I come to you more often,
please continue to be gracious to me.

KING CASPAR:
May your love forgive us
for the reason I will shortly explain:
namely, in Saba, in our lands,
an unusual star has appeared,
in which a virgin bears a child,
pay attention to what we tell you.
Through this we first learned
that the Messiah had come,
that a king had been born,
whom the Jewish people should serve,
whom we seek with all diligence,
to which end we have set out on our journey.

HIERODES SPEAKS:
Has this happened in this land
and is it better known to strangers than to me?
Then go down to Bethlehem at once
for the child will not be found here.
Seek it, and when you have found it
worship it and give it gifts,
let me know quickly,
that I may be the first to worship him,
that I too may worship the child
and know him.
Do this for me, my lords,
so that I too may worship the child.

KING CASPAR SPEAKS:
My dear, as soon as we find the child,
we will bring the message back.

KING MELCHIOR SPEAKS:
Now then!
Let us leave Jerusalem behind.

KING WALTHAUSER SPEAKS!
Behold, the star is rising again,
which we saw,
in the kingdom of the Orient,
when we recognized the child.

THE THREE KINGS EXIT.

KING HEROD SPEAKS:
The news has frightened me greatly,
for I am a stranger, not a true king.
Go, lackey, call the priests and scribes,
I want to ask where the new king is to be born,
whom the Jewish people are to serve.
Go, so that your master may hear the latest news.

THE SERVANT SPEAKS:
Gracious king, I understand your words,
from this moment on I will run away,
and bring you from all over the land
the high priests to your side.

CAIOPHAS (PILATE AND JONAH JUMP IN, THEIR SPEECH IS JEWISH, THEIR GESTURES EXTREMELY LIVELY; ALL THREE ARE IN CONSTANT MOTION, KISSING EACH OTHER RIGHT AND LEFT AS THEY JUMP, IN A BOWING POSITION — THE TEFILLIM? — THEIR SHOULDERS, KISSING EACH OTHER, CLAP THEIR HANDS TOGETHER AND SPEAK THE KING'S LAST WORD IN CHORUS WITH CARICATURED GESTURES THAT ALWAYS CORRESPOND TO WHAT IS SAID) SPEAKS: (SHOUTING VERY CLOSE TO HEROD'S NOSE, UNINTELLIGIBLY FAST):
Lord, I Caiaphas, my own dear,
lord, I do not wrong you?
I would certainly show you this,
I would certainly show you this,
if it did not in any way harm me,
your royal majesty.

HEROD SPEAKS:
Say, sir, you are already forgiven,
even though I do not like it,
I have no ill will toward you,
for I would gladly follow your advice,
otherwise I would not have sent for you
you may show me your feelings.

CAIOPHAS, PILATE, AND JONAH SPEAK (SIMULTANEOUSLY):
Gracious king, I tell you this:
in the city of Bethlehem in the land of Judea,
as it is clearly written,
as the verse in the Psalms says:
his sun will be possessed by all his enemies,
even those who are opposed to him,
many people will follow him on earth!
will be blessed in his name!
His name will be Immanuel
as Ezekiel clearly describes:
For he will eat butter and honey
choosing the good, forgetting the evil.

HIERODES SPEAKS!
How can and may this be,
that the virgin should bear a child? HEROD SPEAKS:
Very well,
I have heard enough from you;
now step aside and be silent,
I will take care of the matter.
I will consider in my mind and heart,
how I will shed the child's blood:
the devil laughs in hell
will he strike me down?
Must I first come to such distress?
I would much rather be dead.
What should I do, what should I say?
There is no other way in these days,
I must despair before my end
and first come to such misery.
My royal crown will be stolen from me,
I do not know how I should repay it.
Will no one come and comfort me today?
Be it spirits or their kind?
I will promise them
and follow them forever:
Oh, since you are all despairing?
Oh woe, oh woe, who will help me?

CAIOPHAS SPEAKS: HEROD SAYS:
It would be better if he were killed quickly
and his life taken in his youth.

The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent
and bring back all that is lost.

HEROD SPEAKS:
A great king tells me freely
and presented me with all shyness,
he says: in Bethlehem they have heard
that a savior has come to comfort us,
a righteous prince and true shepherd,
who will rule us all.
I would like to have certainty about this,
I tell you the truth:
my kingdom is in great danger
what I tell you is true.

CAIAPHAS SPEAKS:
My lord, it is not to be understood
that your kingdom should perish:
he will be called a king,
but he will have no power in his hand;
he will be condemned to death,
and his people will consider him a mockery.

PILATE SAYS:
Your Royal Majesty, calm your mind
and wait a little longer,
until the wise men come from the East
and say that it is so.

HEROD SAYS!
We fear it may become known
in the Jewish land,
because yesterday we heard
that an angel came to the shepherds in the field,
announced to them new tidings,
that a new king had been born.
Lord Caiaphas, tell me, where on earth
is this new king to be born,
whom the Jewish people are to serve? —
What do your prophets say?

JONAH SPEAKS:
All the prophets indicate:
Christ is the chosen king,
who will be born in the city of Bethlehem.
The city lies in the land of the Jews,
as the prophets indicate.

THE DEVIL JUMPS JOYFULLY BEFORE HERODES AND SPEAKS:
Who is here, who is there? What ails you?
Oh, I will never forsake you!
Tell me, what is your great sorrow,
that you lament your hardship so bitterly?

HEROD SPEAKS:
I am already despairing with fear,
because a new king has been born
and chosen over the Jewish land:
Where shall I, poor devil, go?

THE DEVIL SPEAKS:
Be quiet, I am also a devil!
One devil does not let the other go,
I will help you with your duty
so that you may tackle your task,
the newborn king will not escape us:
I am as kind as you,
I will give you advice on this —
so prepare yourself quickly and do not delay.

HEROD SPEAKS:
Oh friend, I am still afraid of one thing,
that I should stab 1 2 3
so that I may be well prepared,
lest they do the same to me;
surely mine would not be spared
if I were to act so badly.

THE DEVIL SAYS:
I will tell you this:
if you want to be a devil, then mark my words:
have no mercy on women or children
and be rich and be poor alike.
you must dare such wrath
that you spare not even the unborn
You must kill all little boys,
who are two years old and under
and I will laugh into my fist
just as the fox laughs at the goose.
So prepare yourself quickly, do not delay;
I am going there in the name of Bix Bax
to my companions Rauch and Rab.

COMPANY SINGS IN:
With God, let us sing our little song!
When Herod heard these words -- ?
All three set off,
the star shining ahead,
until the star stood still above Bethlehem.

THE THREE KINGS SING:
A child born in Bethlehem
[in this year,
Jerusalem rejoices.
In this year we rejoice
we praise the mother of the Lord
with her tender little child
with her tender little child
we honor Christ the Lord
with a song of praise
with a song of praise.

1. Here he lies in the manger
   in this year,
   his reign will come to an end!
   In this year we rejoice
   In this year we rejoice
   we praise the mother of the Lord
   with her tender little child
   with her tender little child.)

KING CASPAR SPEAKS:
O Lord, I beg you,
do not forsake us!
Enlighten our eyes in our need,
that we may not fall asleep in death,
guide us, Lord, on the right path,
that we may not stray here
and teach us your righteous laws.

KING MELCHERT SPEAKS:
Two are missing here, which is the right one?

KING WALTHAUSER SPEAKS:
Behold, the star here stands still,
Come, let us go to the child in the stable.
Hail, my tender virgin,
is this not the desired child? I will offer you red gold,
I pray you will remain faithful to me.
Take the child in your arms
and raise it as faithful parents
Truly, you have nothing to lament
and be content with my gifts.

MARY SINGS:
Here lies the desired child,
wrapped in poor swaddling clothes.

KING MELCHORT SPEAKS!
Now let us go!
Let us open our gifts and offer
incense, myrrh, and red gold.

KING MELCHORT SINGS:
Psallite unigenito
Christo, dei filio,
psallite redemptori,
domino puerulo,
jacenti in praesepio.

THE KINGS SING:
Now who will be the first?

KING CASPAR SPEAKS:
You, the elder, are born of him;
so go before us first,
and we will follow you swiftly.

KING WALTHAUSER:
I give the honor to the one who deserves it.

KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
I will not concern myself with the honor.
In God's name, I will go first,
and bring the child a new year.

KING MELCHORT KNEELS BEFORE MARY AND OFFERS A GIFT!
Hail, little child,
Hail to God, that I have found you,
We have traveled far,
So that we might meet you.

KING CASPAR'S OFFERING:
O noble king, O noble hero,
how did you come to live in such poverty,
who would have sought you here in a stable,
is this your noble royal hall?
A star has led me to you,
O king, to whom all things belong,
I will praise you every hour
and extol you with my mouth,
proclaim your praise to the ancient world.
Take, noble king and hero,
the fruits of my land, which are good,
take me into your care in return,
in the beautiful Bethlehem,
in your name I depart. JOSEPH SPEAKS:
My dear lords, God will reward you,
for visiting us in our time of need
and sharing your gifts with us,
you shall also receive a good reward:
from our little child, rich in goodness
God will protect you well. MARY SINGS:
Gentlemen, I thank you diligently
for your valuable gifts and offerings:
may the world confirm this for you
and may you walk your paths with renewed vigor. THE KINGS RISE. KING CASPAR SPEAKS:
Now then, my dear Joseph
let the child be entrusted to you,
spare no effort or diligence in caring for him,
the Lord will reward you indeed. KING WALDHAUSER SPEAKS!
Now may Almighty God protect you,
from sorrow, fear, and all hardship,
may your eternal father protect you,
from whence it must be separated. TELLER LEAVES. — A FEW STEPS AWAY KING MELCHORT SPEAKS:
Now let us please Herod,
by telling him where the child can be found,
but let us stay here overnight,
for the time has brought darkness. THE THREE KINGS SING AND FALL ASLEEP:
I lay down one night and slept. --- AN ANGEL APPEARS BEFORE THE KINGS AND [SAYS]:
Hail, three kings from the land of the morning,
God Almighty has sent me to you,
that I may make it known to you
that you should avoid such danger,
that you should not go the former way
to King Herod, the tyrant.
For Herod is secretly angry,
God will guide you home by another road. THE KINGS AWAKEN FROM THEIR SLEEP AND [SPEAK]. MELCHIOR:
I have heard a strange dream,
as if an angel had explained to me
that we should avoid Herod's house
and find another way;
for Herod is determined,
as he wants to shed the child's blood. KING WALTHAUSER [SPEAKS]:
I have also heard the same
from the angel who came into our chamber,
that Herod has changed his mind and courage,
as he wanted to shed the child's blood.
But if you, Herod, are in such wickedness, let us be far from you. THE KINGS SING OUT:
King Walthauser comes down from the mountain
having found the child -?
yes, he has found him well.
AB. ANGEL STEPS FORWARD AND SPEAKS TO JOSEPH:
Joseph, Joseph, you pious man,
take note of what I am about to show you,
sent to you by God:
Take Mary with you
along with the child of high renown
and flee to the land of Egypt.
Do not return to Judea
until I tell you so again. SHORT PAUSE JOSEPH SPEAKS:
Oh, where shall we go in the night,
but who could have imagined such misery,
how shall we get to Egypt,
the roads are unknown to us.
Also unsafe from wild animals
and robbers who prowl around
and it is also a long way to go. MARY SINGS:
God will be our guide
and keep us on the right path
He will not forsake his own,
He will send his angel with us
to guide us to our destination.
So get up in good cheer
and quickly prepare the donkey. JOSEPH STANDS UP AND SPEAKS:
God protect you, dear house,
it will be no different;
I must leave you according to God's will,
that we may fulfill his first commandment. MARY SINGS:
Adie, adie, we must wander,
we are going to the land of Egypt. AB. KING HEROD ENTERS WITH PAGI:
If I were to sit down now
and reward so richly
the wise men from the East
with cunning and a swift hand,
and likewise the new king well,
yet I feel in my heart
that I will be deceived by them
and that they have lied to me.
Now I fear terribly
that my kingdom will become small
in a short time.
Now it is necessary that I decide
how to deal with these matters:
how will I survive in the long run?
I think here and there
how I might catch the new king off guard
and always remember
what I might give him as a gift.
I will deal with him subtly
just as the fox plays his game
with a fat hen
when he has fresh courage;
I will play with him to the end,
just as the cat does with the mouse.
But now it occurs to me quickly
how I might catch the child:
I will quickly kill many of the little children
with my army,
I will undertake this
and kill all the boys in the land of Judah;
what do I care if all the mothers
cry out against me,
when I remain the heir to my kingdom
and not so suddenly ruined. CAPTAIN ENTERS FERODES' HOUSE. MARY GOES TO HEROD AND SINGS:
Gracious king, remember mercy,
for you will suddenly regret it,
if you shed so much innocent blood,
see, gracious king, what you are doing. — HEROD SPEAKS:
Get away, you foolish woman!
Don't you know what's going on?
My regiment will be taken away from me
if I don't soon put an end to this evil.
Should you still rule me?
That is not fitting for a king!
You servants, you have heard well,
what each of you must do,
here you have the royal mandate
that your lord and king has commanded;
publish it in all places and ends,
everyone must obey it on pain of punishment. THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS THE MANDATE:
His Royal Majesty
has commanded us with a strict mandate,
that all boys
who are two years old and under shall be put to death.
Neither good nor money shall help,
if it pleases our lord the king.
Whoever resists these commands,
shall lose his possessions, his goods, and his life. JUDAS COMES TO HEROD AND SPEAKS IN A VERY CARICATURED JEWISH ACCENT:
Oh woe, oh woe, the harsh mandate!
The king has power over our lives,
shall we let our little boys be killed?
Oh, what pain and suffering there will be! HEROD [SPEAKS]:
This man is guilty of death,
take him and put him in prison. THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS TO JUDAS:
You villain, do you want to resist the king,
it will cost you your possessions, your goods, and your life.
Is it not better that the little children die,
than that we all perish with them? HE PLACES HIS SWORD AT JUDAS' NECK AND LEAVES WITH HIM WHILE HE CRIES MISERABLY. PAUSE. HEROD SPEAKS:
Go, lackey, run, bring me in
my most loyal captain. HEROD SPEAKS TO THE CAPTAIN!:
Look here, captain, here you have this sword
and 4,000 men with their best weapons
and go over the mountains
and strangle all the little boys!
Let yourself be bribed with no gift,
otherwise it will cost you your life, as I tell you,
kill all the little children at once,
whether they be poor, young or rich
I will give you double pay,
I will pay you with red gold. CAPTAIN SPEAKS:
What His Royal Majesty
has now commanded me,
I have listened to with joy
and heard every word clearly:
I will accomplish this with the utmost loyalty,
I promise it to all,
for my whole mind and courage
are all directed toward that goal. I wish
I had them before me soon,
I would certainly not delay long
but would quickly, with this sword,
kill many of the little children!
My heart laughs within me
when I see red blood running:
I mean, as when one celebrates a wedding
and slaughters many cows and calves.
Now then, I will leave the city
to do what His Royal Majesty
has seriously commanded me to do. Lackey, run
and help me strike it right! PAGI SPEAKS:
Yes, sir, at this hour I will strike and stab
as much as I can, no man shall escape me. HAUPPTMMAN [SPEAKS]:
I see a bunch of servants and servants,
I say they will do well:
Come on, Lord King, take heart
we will shed the child's blood.
AB. PAUSE. CAPTAIN ENTERS AND SPEAKS:
Your Royal Majesty, take heed of me,
once 100,000 forty-four and eight
I have slain with my own hand;
come on, Mr. King, take heart
we have shed the child's blood.
AB. SOLDIER COMES IN:
Eighty thousand is my number
that I have killed everywhere
I caught him on the last one
and chopped off his head! PAGI SPEAKS:
Herewith, your royal majesty,
as I have fulfilled the same mandate:
I have killed two thousand
and caught him at his mother's breast. KING HEROD SPEAKS:
Thank you, my servants, all three of you at once
I will give you half my kingdom! THE DEVIL SAYS:
Gracious king, I have also returned,
and I have brought my children with me
who have been so presumptuous toward me,
who ate the bratwurst from my pockets,
before I gave them a bite of bread,
before I put it down and killed the mouse. THE CAPTAIN SAYS:
Your Royal Majesty, take note:
we have not found the newborn king,
We have searched everywhere
But heard nothing of the king,
But all the little boys,
Who are two years old and younger
We have killed according to the Lord's words
I mean it has been accomplished. HEROD SPEAKS: Now that you have not found him, he has surely disappeared from the kingdom. Now I am already half dead, for a new God has been born. I will see for myself where I can find him, if I can find him in the stable in Bethlehem! PAUSE. Ah, ah, and always ah
how weak I am today. PAGI:
Bring me an apple and a knife
so that I may give my lord a sweet treat. ANGEL, COME FOR HEROD, SING:
Herod, Herod, you cruel tyrant
what have the little children done to you
that you had them killed
wait, death will soon surround you. HEROD SPEAKS:
Oh, how a bright light has surrounded me,
it has happened because of my life,
go, lackey, run, bring me in
my most loyal captain. HE COMES. HEROD SPEAKS:
Look, captain, here is your gift
I bequeath it to you before my end
Time has confused me
The devil has led me astray:
I am going to Abraham's garden. ANGEL SPEAKS: The devil only does his duty and leads you home, to your nest, he who has always been your servant and dresses you as a king and places the heavenly crown upon your head. CAPTAIN, PASCHIE, AND THE TWO SOLDIERS: What good is the high throne the scepter and the crown scepter and regiment everything will soon come to an end. THE DEVIL COMES AND SPEAKS:
Bow down, bow down!
You have eaten all the sour fruit
and left the [Quatten] in ports. HIRODES SAYS:
O devil, let me live longer,
I will give you a black pair of oxen! CAPTAIN SPEAKS:
Alas, what has my lord king done,
that he has killed the little children,
oh, had I thought about it beforehand,
I certainly would not have killed them,
oh, if only I could still achieve it,
I would hang myself from the highest tree!
Oh, if only I could achieve it,
I would drown myself in the deepest sea!
But I will take revenge on my lord the king
and stab myself with this sword.

THE DEVIL SAYS:
No way,
I want her.

HEROD SAYS:
O devil, let me live longer
I will give you a black pair of ravens.

DEVIL SAYS:
No way, I want you.

HEROD SAYS!
O devil, let me live longer
I will give you half my kingdom.

THE DEVIL SAYS:
Well, why are we always arguing
you are ours all year round.
We must all go
into hellish torment,
not just you!
Wait, I'll try to see if you're heavy.
I'll harness a couple of rats,
I'll harness a couple of cats,
I'll harness a couple of mice:
Pull, devil, pull.
Off with Herod. COMPANY SINGS IN:
Be joyful and jubilant
Jesus the Messiah
[who rules the whole world,
is the son of Mary,
and lies in the manger
with the ox and the donkey. Swoosh, swoosh! Swoosh, swoosh, little child!
You are mine, I am yours.
Rejoice and leap,
sing and make music:
Hodie, hodie, hodie
Christ, the son of Mary,
Mary, Mary
has taken away all our sorrow,
all our sorrow, all our sorrow.
Help us to come to you soon,
O Christ!] ANGEL FINISHES SPEAKING:
Honorable, wise, and gracious lords,
and virtuous ladies and maidens in all ages,
since you have heard our song,
please do not hold it against us. —
May you not interpret our words badly
but rather attribute them to our lack of understanding:
if we have erred in any way here
and have not observed the proper decorum
but rather each of us has considered what is best,
then we wish you a good night from Almighty God.