From:
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!
Translate to:
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!