Carmina Burana

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!