O Fortuna (Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi)

Latina

[Intro]
O Fortuna
Velut luna
Statu variabilis

[Verso 1]
Semper crescis
Aut decrescis
Vita detestabilis
Nunc obdurat
Et tunc curat
Ludo mentis aciem
Egestatem
Potestatem
Dissolvit ut glaciem

[Verso 2]
Sors immanis
Et inanis
Rota tu volubilis,
Status malus
Vana salus
Semper dissolubilis
Obumbrata
Et velata
Mihi quoque niteris
Nunc per ludum
Dorsum nudum
Fero tui sceleris

[Verso 3]
Sors salutis
Et virtutis
Mihi nunc contraria
Est affectus
Et defectus
Semper in angaria
Hac in hora
Sine mora
Corde pulsum tangite
Quod per sortem
Sternit fortem
Mecum omnes plangite

English

[Chorus]

O Fortune
Like the moon
You are ever-changing
Ever waxing
And waning;
Hateful life
First oppresses
And then soothes
As it fancies;
Poverty
And power
It melts them like ice

Fate -- monstrous
And empty
Fate, you whirling wheel,
You are malevolent
Well-being is in vain
And always fades to nothing
Shadowed
And veiled
You plague me, too;
Now through the game
I bring my bare back
To your villainy

Fate is against me
In health
And virtue
Driven on
And weighted down
Always enslaved
So at this hour
Without delay
Pluck the vibrating strings;
Since Fate
Strikes down the strong man
Everyone weep with me!