Carmina Burana - O Fortuna (Chorus) lyrics

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1. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)<br />

O Fortuna (Chorus) O Fortune<br />

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O Fortuna O Fortune,<br />

velut luna like the moon<br />

statu variabilis, you are changeable,<br />

semper crescis ever waxing<br />

aut decrescis; and waning;<br />

vita detestabilis hateful life<br />

nunc obdurat first oppresses<br />

et tunc curat and then soothes<br />

ludo mentis aciem, as fancy takes it;<br />

egestatem, poverty<br />

potestatem and power<br />

dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice.<br />

<br />

Sors immanis Fate - monstrous<br />

et inanis, and empty,<br />

rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel,<br />

status malus, you are malevolent,<br />

vana salus well-being is vain<br />

semper dissolubilis, and always fades to nothing,<br />

obumbrata shadowed<br />

et velata and veiled<br />

michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;<br />

nunc per ludum now through the game<br />

dorsum nudum I bring my bare back<br />

fero tui sceleris. to your villainy.<br />

<br />

Sors salutis Fate is against me<br />

et virtutis in health<br />

michi nunc contraria, and virtue,<br />

est affectus driven on<br />

et defectus and weighted down,<br />

semper in angaria. always enslaved.<br />

Hac in hora So at this hour<br />

sine mora without delay<br />

corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;<br />

quod per sortem since Fate<br />

sternit fortem, strikes down the string man,<br />

mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me!<br />

<br />

2. Fortune plango vulnera (I bemoan the wounds of Fortune)<br />

<br />

Fortune plango vulnera I bemoan the wounds of Fortune<br />

stillantibus ocellis with weeping eyes,<br />

quod sua michi munera for the gifts she made me<br />

subtrahit rebellis. she perversely takes away.<br />

Verum est, quod legitur, It is written in truth,<br />

fronte capillata, that she has a fine head of hair,<br />

sed plerumque sequitur but, when it comes to seizing an opportunity<br />

Occasio calvata. she is bald.<br />

<br />

In Fortune solio On Fortune's throne<br />

sederam elatus, I used to sit raised up,<br />

prosperitatis vario crowned with<br />

flore coronatus; the many-coloured flowers of prosperity;<br />

quicquid enim florui though I may have flourished<br />

felix et beatus, happy and blessed,<br />

nunc a summo corrui now I fall from the peak<br />

gloria privatus. deprived of glory.<br />

<br />

Fortune rota volvitur: The wheel of Fortune turns;<br />

descendo minoratus; I go down, demeaned;<br />

alter in altum tollitur; another is raised up;<br />

nimis exaltatus far too high up<br />

rex sedet in vertice sits the king at the summit -<br />

caveat ruinam! let him fear ruin!<br />

nam sub axe legimus for under the axis is written<br />

Hecubam reginam. Queen Hecuba.