O Fortuna of Carmina Burana

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

Sors immanis           Fate - monstrous
et inanis,             and empty,
rota tu volubilis,     you whirling wheel,
status malus,          you are malevolent,
vana salus             well-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 ludum         now through the game
dorsum nudum           I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris.     to your villainy.

Sors salutis           Fate is against me
et virtutis            in health
michi nunc contraria,  and virtue,
est affectus           driven 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!