O Fortuna
Carmina Burana Lyrics

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)
Fortune is the ruler of the world, holding supreme authority and influence.

O Fortuna O Fortune
Oh Fortune, the ultimate force that governs every aspect of life!

velut luna like the moon
You, like the moon, are ever-changing and unpredictable in your ways.

statu variabilis, you are changeable
You are in a constant state of change, never predictable or steady.

semper crescis ever waxing
At times, you seem to be in the ascendency, and growing stronger and more powerful.

aut decrescis; and waning;
At other times, you diminish and weaken, taking away your blessings and happiness.

vita detestabilis hateful life
The life you grant us is often difficult, full of pain, and suffering.

nunc obdurat first oppresses
You afflict us with hardships and adversity to test our mettle and strengthen our character.

et tunc curat and then soothes
Sometimes, you relieve us from suffering and grant us good fortune, giving us solace and respite.

ludo mentis aciem as fancy takes it;
You play with our minds and emotions, making our lives a game of chance that we cannot control.

egestatem, poverty
You reduce us to poverty, stripping us of our wealth and resources.

potestatem and power
Or, you grant us wealth and power, raising us to the highest ranks in society.

dissolvit ut glaciem it melts them like ice.
But, in the end, you can take away all that you have given, leaving us with nothing, like melting ice.

Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
Your force is so mighty and commanding that it seems overpowering, almost like a monster that cannot be tamed.

et inanis and empty,
Yet, you also seem empty and void, a symbol of the futility and meaninglessness of human existence.

rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel,
You are a wheel that spins relentlessly, causing human lives to rise and fall, like spokes in a wheel.

status malus, you are malevolent,
Your influence can be malicious and wicked, taking away happiness and crushing dreams.

vana salus well-being is vain
You make us believe that our well-being is important and valuable, but you show us that it is fleeting and illusory.

semper dissolubilis and always fades to nothing,
Everything you give us eventually fades away into nothingness, leaving behind only memories and regrets.

obumbrata shadowed
Your dark shadow looms over us, casting its malevolent influence over every aspect of life.

et velata and veiled
And yet, you also remain elusive and hidden, a force that can never truly be understood or predicted.

michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;
As individuals, we too are plagued by your fickle and unpredictable nature, never knowing what tomorrow will bring.

nunc per ludum now through the game
We must deal with your whims and caprices, as we navigate life's uncertain course.

dorsum nudum I bring my bare back
In the face of your challenges, we must steel ourselves and put our best foot forward, showing our courage and fortitude.

fero tui sceleris. to your villainy.
Despite your malevolent ways, we stand our ground, fighting back against your wickedness.

Sors salutis Fate is against me
Often, you seem to be against us, making our lives difficult and filled with obstacles.

et virtutis in health
You also seem to stand in the way of our achieving our goals and realizing our dreams.

michi nunc contraria, and virtue,
Despite our best efforts, we are often met with failure and setback, frustrating our attempts at success.

est affectus driven on
In the face of these challenges, we must keep moving forward, spurred on by our emotions and desires.

et defectus and weighted down,
But sometimes, the weight of our burdens can be too much, and we feel crushed and defeated.

semper in angaria. always enslaved.
Regardless of our fortunes or circumstances, we are always slaves to the whims of fate and fortune.

Hac in hora So at this hour
In this moment, we must face the full force of your power and influence, as we confront the challenges of the present.

sine mora without delay
There is no time to waste, as we must seize the opportunities that come our way, and face the challenges that lie ahead.

corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;
We must pluck the strings of our heart, setting in motion the powerful forces that drive us onwards, towards our destiny.

quod per sortem since Fate
Because the forces of fate are beyond our control, we must play the hand we are dealt, and make the most of our opportunities.

sternit fortem, strikes down the string man,
Sometimes, even the strongest among us are struck down by your harsh fate, as we are forced to endure the trials and tribulations of life.

mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me!
In these trying moments, we must come together and lean on one another for strength and comfort. Let us weep together, as we mourn the losses and celebrate the victories of life.

Fortune plango vulnera I bemoan the wounds of Fortune
We lament the wounds and scars left behind by your unpredictable nature and harsh judgments.

stillantibus ocellis with weeping eyes,
Our eyes are filled with tears as we contemplate the hardships and realities of life.

quod sua michi munera for the gifts she made me
We grieve for the bounty and blessings that have been taken away from us by your harsh fate.

subtrahit rebellis. she perversely takes away.
Despite our best efforts, you often take away the very things we hold dear, leaving us feeling lost and disheartened.

Verum est, quod legitur, It is written in truth,
The harsh reality of your power and influence is clear and undeniable, as it is written in the fates that govern our lives.

fronte capillata, that she has a fine head of hair,
Your beauty and allure can be enchanting, drawing us in and tempting us with the promise of good fortune and happiness.

sed plerumque sequitur but, when it comes to seizing an opportunity
But often, we are left empty-handed, as you prove fickle and unpredictable, failing to deliver on your promises of good fortune and blessings.

Occasio calvata. she is bald.
The opportunities we seek are often elusive and fleeting, and when we finally grasp them, we find that they are already slipping away from us.

In Fortune solio On Fortune's throne
When we enjoy good fortune and blessings, we feel as though we are sitting on the throne of power and influence, ruling over our lives and destiny.

sederam elatus, I used to sit raised up,
We feel elevated and powerful, invincible against the harsh whims and caprices of fate and fortune.

prosperitatis vario crowned with
We are crowned with the many-colored flowers of prosperity, enjoying its bounty and pleasures.

flore coronatus; but,
Yet, despite our victories and achievements, we know that our fortunes are fragile and fleeting, and can disappear in an instant.

quicquid enim floruit though I may have flourished
Despite our many successes and accomplishments, we know that our fate is ultimately beyond our control, subject to the whims of forces beyond us.

felix et beatus, happy and blessed,
In good times, we feel happy and blessed, grateful for the joys and blessings of life.

nunc a summo corrui now I fall from the peak
But, just as quickly as we rose to the top, our fortunes can change, and we find ourselves tumbling down from the heights we once enjoyed.

gloria privatus. deprived of glory.
We are stripped of our glory and honor, left to mourn our losses and contemplate our next moves.

Fortune rota volvitur: The wheel of Fortune turns;
The cycle of fortune continues to turn, bringing with it new challenges and opportunities, as well as unexpected twists and turns.

descendo minoratus; I go down, demeaned;
As our fortunes wane, we feel ourselves becoming smaller and weaker, struggling to maintain our confidence and courage.

alter in altum tollitur; another is raised up;
At the same time, others are lifted up, enjoying high honors and great successes, while we watch from the sidelines.

nimis exaltatus far too high up
But, we know that even those who enjoy great fortune and success can fall from grace, and be brought down by your capricious fate.

rex sedet in vertice it's the king at the summit
Those who sit at the summit of power and influence are particularly vulnerable to your whims, as they often make themselves targets of your force.

caveat ruinam! let him fear ruin!
We know that those who sit at the top of the world must be ever-vigilant and aware of the dangers that lurk beneath them, ready to strike at any moment.

nam sub axe legimus for under the axis is written Hecubam reginam.
We know that even the most powerful and influential people can be brought low by fate, reminding us of our own fragility and mortality.