I think the song is about a young man trying to make sense of death. The great black bell rings, warning of an impending death. He studies an old man begging for heaven as his life is coming to an end. The old man dies, and the young man touches him with a trembling hand, and day breaks, shining on him as he begins to understand that death is inevitable and not to be feared.
The next time he hears the bell, it symbolizes that he (the one) is near death himself. He's seeing and feeling how it felt to be that old man he witnessed dying. He accepts his death willingly and waves goodbye without fear as he's beginning to lose consciousness whilst thinking about what awaits him and all he's heard about the after life. Just then he espies the old man who begged for heaven and is comforted. He dies with a look of joy in his eyes, and those who follow after him in death, he gives welcome to, as the old man did for him, and then they too know of the temple and the king.
I think the song is about a young man trying to make sense of death. The great black bell rings, warning of an impending death. He studies an old man begging for heaven as his life is coming to an end. The old man dies, and the young man touches him with a trembling hand, and day breaks, shining on him as he begins to understand that death is inevitable and not to be feared.
The next time he hears the bell, it symbolizes that he (the one) is near death himself. He's seeing and feeling how it felt to be that old man he witnessed dying. He accepts his death willingly and waves goodbye without fear as he's beginning to lose consciousness whilst thinking about what awaits him and all he's heard about the after life. Just then he espies the old man who begged for heaven and is comforted. He dies with a look of joy in his eyes, and those who follow after him in death, he gives welcome to, as the old man did for him, and then they too know of the temple and the king.