O Fortuna from Carmina Burana, music composed by Carl Orff

FORTUNA

IMPERATRIX                      FORTUNE,
MUNDI                           EMPRESS OF THE WORLD
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,                 strikes down the strong man,
mecum omnes plangite!           everybody weep with me!