O Fortuna from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”

“Fate, or some mysterious force, can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all.” – Al Roberts, “Detour”

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 obdurate                  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!