Carmina Burana – O Fortuna lyrics

1. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)
O Fortuna (Chorus) O Fortune

O Fortuna O Fortune,
velut lunalike the moon
statu variabilis, you are changeable,
semper crescisever waxing
aut decrescis;and waning;
vita detestabilis hateful life
nunc obduratfirst oppresses
et tunc curat and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem,as fancy takes it;
egestatem,poverty
potestatemand power
dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice.

Sors immanisFate - monstrous
et inanis,and empty,
rota tu volubilis,you whirling wheel,
status malus, you are malevolent,
vana saluswell-being is vain
semper dissolubilis,and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata shadowed
et velata and veiled
michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;
nunc per ludumnow through the game
dorsum nudumI bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris.to your villainy.

Sors salutisFate is against me
et virtutis in health
michi nunc contraria, and virtue,
est affectusdriven on
et defectus and weighted down,
semper in angaria.always enslaved.
Hac in hora So at this hour
sine mora without delay
corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem since Fate
sternit fortem, strikes down the string man,
mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me!

2. Fortune plango vulnera (I bemoan the wounds of Fortune)

Fortune plango vulneraI bemoan the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocelliswith weeping eyes,
quod sua michi munera for the gifts she made me
subtrahit rebellis. she perversely takes away.
Verum est, quod legitur,It is written in truth,
fronte capillata, that she has a fine head of hair,
sed plerumque sequiturbut, when it comes to seizing an opportunity
Occasio calvata.she is bald.

In Fortune solioOn Fortune's throne
sederam elatus, I used to sit raised up,
prosperitatis vario crowned with
flore coronatus;the many-coloured flowers of prosperity;
quicquid enim floruithough I may have flourished
felix et beatus,happy and blessed,
nunc a summo corrui now I fall from the peak
gloria privatus.deprived of glory.

Fortune rota volvitur:The wheel of Fortune turns;
descendo minoratus; I go down, demeaned;
alter in altum tollitur;another is raised up;
nimis exaltatus far too high up
rex sedet in verticesits the king at the summit -
caveat ruinam!let him fear ruin!
nam sub axe legimus for under the axis is written
Hecubam reginam.Queen Hecuba.