Carl Orff Fortunae plango vulnera Lyrics

Fortunae plango vulnera
stillantibus ocellis,
quod sua mihi munera
subtrahit rebellis.
verum est, quod legitur
fronte capillata,
sed plerumque sequitur
Occasio calvata.

verum est, quod legitur
fronte capillata,
sed plerumque sequitur
Occasio calvata.

In Fortunae solio
sederam elatus,
prosperitatis vario
flore coronatus;
quicquid enim florui
felix et beatus
nunc a summo corrui
gloria privatus.

Fortunae rota volvitur;
descendo minoratus;
alter in altum tollitur;
nimis exaltatus
rex sedet in vertice
caveat ruinam!
nam sub axe legimus
Hecubam reginam.

TRADUCTION:

I bemoan the wounds of Fortune
with weeping eyes,
for the gifts she made me
she perversely takes away.
It is written in truth,
that she has a fine head of hair,
but, when it comes to seizing an opportunity
she is bald.
On Fortune's throne
I used to sit raised up,
crowned with
the many-coloured flowers of prosperity;
though I may have flourished
happy and blessed,
now I fall from the peak
deprived of glory.
The wheel of Fortune turns;
I go down, demeaned;
another is raised up;
far too high up
sits the king at the summit -
let him fear ruin!
for under the axis is written
Queen Hecuba