Seiji Ozawa: Boston Symphony Orchestra Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi - O Fortuna Lyrics

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!