| Es war ein König in Thule, | There was a King in Thule
| Gar treu bis an das Grab, | Was faithful to the grave,
| Dem sterbend seine Buhle | To whom his dying consort
| Einen goldnen Becher gab. | A golden beaker gave.
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| Es ging ihm nichts darüber, | He valued nothing higher,
| Er leert' ihn jeden Schmaus, | At each meal drained the cup;
| Die Augen gingen ihm über, | His eyes were brimming over
| So oft er trank daraus. | Each time he picked it up.
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| Und als er kam zu sterben, | When death was stealing on him
| Zählt' er seine Städt' im Reich, | His kingdom's towns he told,
| Gönnt' alles seinem Erben, | Gave all to his successor,
| Den Becher nicht zugleich. | Kept back the cup of gold.
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| Er sass beim Königsmahle, | He sat at royal banquet
| Die Ritter um ihn her, | With knightly company
| Auf hohem Vätersaale | In the high hall ancestral,
| Dort auf dem Schloss am Meer. | The castle by the sea.
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| Dort stand der alte Zecher, | Up stood the old imbiber
| Trank letzte Lebensglut | And drained life's final glow,
| Und warf den heil'gen Becher | And hurled the blessed beaker
| Hinunter in die Flut. | Into the waves below.
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| Er sah ihn stürzen, trinken | He saw it falling, filling,
| Und sinken tief ins Meer. | And sinking in the sea;
| Die Augen täten ihm sinken; | Down sank his eyes; and never
| Trank nie einen Tropfen mehr. | Another drop drank he.
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