Tag der Rache [English translation]

When one day the heavens unleash their wrath

Upon the earth, blustering, roaring, raging

Lashing cities and blowing apart the sea without

meaning or mercy, then I will stand against the tribunal

When everything that eyes have seen suddenly

Crumbles to dust, because black riders approach

When the works of man fall and sink

Then I’ll be waving to them, already far away

Dies irae, dies illa

Solvet saeclum in favilla

(Day of Reckoning, Day of Sin

The cosmos will set itself ablaze)

Then a host1descends upon us with piercing laughter

Blowing in retribution upon the sick, weak,

And oh so piteous earthly affairs2

To cleanse the wretchedness of man

I will not whimper or beg for mercy

Not crawl upon the ground, but rather stand

The judge will solemnly raise himself up

And then we will see what it was worth, this life

Dies irae, dies illa

Solvet saeclum in favilla

1. 'Heer' is a slightly more antiquated way of saying 'army,' so I picked 'host,' which serves the same function in English, while also sounding biblical and having Germanic etymology2. I don't think there's a perfect way of translating 'Erdentreiben' into English word for word. It more or less would mean 'earthly bustling' and is meant to make humans seem like busy little ants (in my opinion). I feel 'earthly affairs' comes closest, but the perfect connotation is lost in translation.