Carmina Burana 'O Fortuna' Orff Lyrics

Original / English Translation

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 obdurate / 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 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 villany

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!