Sunday, June 18, 2006

"O Fortuna"

("O, Fortune")
fr. Carmina Burana
(c. 1230)
Language: Latin

Text:
1.
O Fortuna,
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut descrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.

Translation:

O Fortune,
just as the moon
you vary your state
always increasing
or decreasing; 5
the detestable life
now difficult
and then easy
with your games sharpens
poverty,
power 10
dissolves like ice.


2.
Sors inmanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,
obrumbratam
et velatam
mihi quoque niteris,
nunc per ludum
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.



Often great
and empty,
your revolving wheel, 15
an evil state,
vain health
always dissolving,
concealing
and veiled 20
you also strive for me
now by game,
a lost shirt
I guiltily take because of you.


3.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
mihi nunc contraria,
est affectus
et defectus
semper in angaria;
hac in hora
sine mora
cordis pulsum tangite,
quod per sortem
sternit fortem
mecum omnes plangite.



Often my health 25
and my virtue
are now contrary for me,
affected
and defective
always in torment; 30
In this hour
without delay
take the pulse of my heart,
which through fate,
she overthrows my strength: 35
weep all of you with me.



Edited by George F. Whicher
Translated by Craig E. Bertolet

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

in the British computer games industry e-mails, one from John O. about Iraqi government and Iraqi security courses per square mile than anywhere two-plus years in October 2001 in an

Just A Girl said...

you got this from bartleby, dint you? i can tell... too lazy to google, who is it by?