What is dying? What is being dead?

Was ist sterben? was ist todt seyn?	What is dying? What is being dead?

Was ist sterben? was ist todt seyn?	What is dying? What is being dead?
Sprach mein Knab' im vollsten Leben.	Spoke my boy in the full of life.
Was soll ich zur Antwort geben?	What should I as an answer give?
Sich entfärben, nicht mehr roth seyn.	To fade, no more red to be.
Was ist sterben? was ist todt seyn?	What is dying? What is being dead?
Ach, daß er die Frage fraget!	Ah, that he the question asked!
Wie mein Herz, das zage, zaget!	How my heart, that hesitates, hesitates!
Soll Verderben mir gedroht seyn?	Should doom be threatening me?
Soll zum Werben es der Bot seyn?	Should as courtship be the offer?
Ja der Bot', er hat geworben,	Yes had attracted the answer,
Und du fragst nicht mehr, gestorben:	and you asked no more, dead:
Was ist sterben? was ist todt seyn?	What is dying? What is being dead?
Was ist sterben? was ist todt seyn?	What is dying? What is being dead?
Frag' ich dich, wie du mich fragtest;	I ask you, as you asked me;
Und mir ist, als ob du sagtest:	And to me it is, as if you said:
Frei der herben Erdennoth seyn.	Free of the bitter anguish of the earth to be.