Carmina Burana
Michel Plasson - Malcolm Stewart - Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse - Jose Antonio Sainz - Orfeon D Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
et optatum
Ver reducit gaudia;
purpuratum
floret pratum,
Sol serenat omnia.
Iam iam cedant tristia!
Estas redit,
Hyemis sevitia.
Iam liquescit
et decrescit
grando, nix et cetera;
bruma fugit,
et iam sugit
Ver Estatis ubera;
illi mens est misera,
qui nec vivit,
nec lascivit
sub Estatis dextera.
Gloriantur
et letantur
in melle dulcedinis,
qui conantur,
ut utantur
premio Cupidinis;
simus iussu Cypridis
gloriantes
et letantes
pares esse Paridis.
The lyrics of the song "Carmina Burana - Ecce gratum" describe the arrival of spring and the joy it brings with it. The opening lines "Ecce gratum et optatum" mean "Behold the welcome and long-awaited." The verses go on to describe the growth of meadow flowers and the warmth of the sun shining on everything. The author observes that winter is now retreating, and sadness should give way to joy. The song reflects the transient nature of seasons and encourages people to shift their focus from the bleak winter season to new beginnings in spring. The lyrics also caution against wasting one's life and not enjoying the pleasures that life has to offer while they still can.
The chorus then describes people who revel in the sweetness of honey and seek the reward of love. The final verse encourages people to follow the commands of Cupid (the Roman god of love), so that they may become like the mythical beauty Paris who was loved by many women. The song, therefore, celebrates the arrival of spring and the new life that it brings with it while reminding people that they need to cherish these moments and seize the opportunities life offers before they pass by.
Line by Line Meaning
Ecce gratum
Behold the gladness
et optatum
And the fulfillment
Ver reducit gaudia;
Spring brings joy back
purpuratum
The purple
floret pratum,
The meadow blooms
Sol serenat omnia.
The sun makes everything bright.
Iam iam cedant tristia!
Now let the sadness go!
Estas redit,
Summer returns
nunc recedit
Winter retreats
Hyemis sevitia.
Winter's harshness.
Iam liquescit
Now it melts
et decrescit
And decreases
grando, nix et cetera;
Hail, snow, and the rest;
bruma fugit,
The frost flees
et iam sugit
And now sucks
Ver Estatis ubera;
The summer breast;
illi mens est misera,
The mind of him is miserable,
qui nec vivit,
Who neither lives
nec lascivit
Nor takes pleasure
sub Estatis dextera.
Under the right hand of summer.
Gloriantur
They boast
et letantur
And they rejoice
in melle dulcedinis,
In the honey of sweetness,
qui conantur,
Who strive
ut utantur
To enjoy
premio Cupidinis;
The reward of Cupid;
simus iussu Cypridis
Let us be at the order of Venus
gloriantes
Boasting
et letantes
And rejoicing
pares esse Paridis.
To be equal to Paris.
Contributed by Emma H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.