O fortuna

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

O Fortuna (Chorus)
O Fortune

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!


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


Fortune plango vulnera
I bemoan the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellis
with 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 sequitur
but,when it comes to seizing an opportunity
Occasio calvata.
she is bald.
-------------------------
In Fortune solio
On 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 florui
though 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 vertice
sits 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.

Carl off