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.

See also:
JustSomeLyrics
38
38.24
Emanuel Xeroxicide Lyrics
Stereo Total Furore Lyrics