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 in 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, | crushes the strong, |
mecum omnes plangite! | everyone weep with me! |
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Carmina Burana, O Fortuna
Audio here for Orff's Version, with lyrics, to my mind the 20th century's greatest work of choral music.
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