O fortuna,
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.
Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,

O Lady Luck
so lunar struck
and ever-changing,
you ebb and flow
and fade and glow
O life deranging,
first you misread
and then you heed
our hopes heartfelt.
Both the rich folk
and the flat broke
like ice you melt.
O bloated fate
inanimate,
you spin your wheel,
turn good health bad
and happy sad
with mindless zeal.

obumbrata
et velata
michi quoque niteris;
nunc per ludem
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
michi 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!

Behind a shroud
of veiling cloud,
me too you thrash,
and my bare back
is scarred by crack
of your cruel lash.
You, greedy fate,
absquatulate
with all my merit.
All that is fine
you undermine.
Let’s grin and bear it.
Here and soon
let’s pluck a tune
upon our mortal fiddle;
since even the brave
can fate enslave,
let’s sing that life’s a riddle!

Fortune plango vulnera
stillantibus ocelliis,
quod sua michi munera
subtrahit rebellis.
Verum est, quod legitur
fronte capillata
sed plerumque sequitur
occasio calvata.
In Fortune solio
sederam elatus,
prosperitatis vario
flore coronatus;

Fortune’s blows I mourn
with tear-filled eyes,
for she withholds with scorn
the long-sought prize.
’Tis true as it is said
she sometimes gives us hope,
but mostly it’s “drop dead,”
or maybe “nope.”
On Fortune’s throne
I once reclined
wreathed in a crown
of flowers entwined;

quic quid enim florui
felix et beatus,
nunc a summo corrui
gloria privatus.
Fortune rota volvitur:
descendo minoratus;
alter in altum tollitur;
nimis exaltatus
rex sedet in vertice –
caveat ruinam!
Nam sub axe legimus
Hecubam reginam.

but dashed, when bliss
and joy combined,
down the abyss
so cruelly undermined.
Fortune’s wheel begins to fly
and one is smashed aground,
another’s lifted to the sky;
for a brief round
the ruler walks on air –
but ruin stalks, let him beware
for under wheel we read
the Queen of Death will feed.

Veris leta facies
mundo propinatur
hiemalis acies
victa iam fugatur,
in vestitu vario
Phebus principatur
nemorum dulcisonoque
cantu celebratur. Ah!
Flore fusus gremio
Phebus novo more
risum dat, hoc vario
iam stipata flore.

Spring’s lustrous face
smiles on the earth
soon to displace
chill winter’s dearth,
a dappled dress
wraps Phebus’ girth
woods chant their “yes”
to a new rebirth. Ah!
Phoebus, again in the embrace
of Flora’s bounteous bower,
laughs to see her lovely face
all blooming in full flower.

Zephyrus nectareo
spirans in odore;
certatim pro bravio
curramus in amore. Ah!
Cytharizat cantico
dulcis Philomena,
flore rident vario
prata iam serena;
salit cetus avium
silve per amena,
chorus promit virginum
iam gaudia millena. Ah!

Zephyrus begins to blow
this fragrance from above.
Now let us hustle on to know
the ecstasy of love. Ah!
Sweet nightingale
sings forth her air,
while laughs regale
the meadows’ glare.
The birds admire
the sylvan lair
where maidens’ choir
the boys ensnare. Ah!

Omnia sol temperat
purus et subtilis,
nova mundo reserat
facies Aprilis;
ad amorem properat
animus herilis,
et iocundis imperat
deus puerilis.
Rerum tanta novitas
In solemni veri
et veris auctoritas
iubet nos gaudere;

The pure and simple sun
infuses everything,
a new world’s now begun
from April’s spring.
To love a man will run,
his heart takes wing,
and over all the fun
the boy-god’s king.
Glorious spring renews
all nature’s might
and spring our heart imbues
with joyous light;

vias prebet solitas,
et in tuo vere
fides est et probitas
tuum retinere.
Ama me fideliter!
Fidem meam nota;
de corde totaliter
et ex mente tota
sum presentialiter
absens in remota.
Quisquis amat taliter,
volvitur in rota.

on amorous paths and views
spring sets our sight,
with faith and billets-doux
to keep our love from flight.
Love me with faith unbounded
and feel my fealty,
in heart to depths unsounded
in mind more deep than sea.
In you I’m ever grounded
though far away and free.
Whoever love has hounded
knows what its bite can be.

Ecce gratum
et optatum
ver reducit gaudia,
purpuratum
floret pratum
Sol serenat omnia.
Iamiam cedant tristia!
Estas redit,
nunc recedit
Hyemis sevitia. Ah!
Iam liquescit
et decrescit
grando, nix et cetera;
bruma fugit,
et iam sugit

Here belated
long awaited
spring brings back frivolity,
purple sated
pastures plaited
sunbathed in equality.
Now sadness cedes to jollity
summer’s slated,
ice abdicated,
ending winter’s polity. Ah!
Hail has ended
sleet’s suspended
gone ice, snow and all the rest;
frost’s transcended
warm air blended

Ver Estatis ubera;
illi mens est misera,
qui nec vivit,
nec lascivit,
sub Estatis dextera. Ah!
Gloriantur
et letantur
in melle dulcedinis,
qui conantur,
ut utantur
premio Cupidinis;
simus iussu Cypridis
gloriantes
et letantes
pares esse Paridis.

spring suckles summer’s breast
wretched he without a quest,
not befriended
nor extended,
lacking summer’s amorous zest. Ah!
Let them thrive
and come alive
in honey’s sweetest juices,
those who strive
’til they arrive
at Cupid’s central sluices.
We bow to Venus’ mandate
while voicing
our rejoicing
Paris now we emulate.

Floret silva nobilis
Floribus et foliis.
Ubi est antiquus
meus amicus? Ah!
Hinc equitavit,
eia, quis me amabit? Ah!
Floret silva undique
nah mime gesellen ist mir wê.
Gruonet der walt allenthalben
wâ ist min geselle alse lange? Ah!
Der ist geriten hinnen,
o wî, wer sol mich minnen? Ah!

The noble forest flowers
in buds and leaves and bowers.
Where is my paramour,
my old pal tried and sure? Ah!
He rode away from here,
ah, who will love me dear? Ah!
The forest flowers quite all over,
and now I’m longing for my lover.
When silvan glades to green do turn,
why does my lover not return? Ah!
He has ridden away.
Ah woe, who’ll love me now today? Ah!

Chramer, gip die varwe mir,
di min wengel roete,
damit ich die jungen man
an ir dank der minnenliebe noete.
Seht mich an,
Jungen man!
Lat mich iu gevallen!

Minnet, tugentliche man,
minnecliche frouwen!
Minne tuot iu hoch gemuot
unde lat iuch in hohlen eren schouwen.
Seht mich an, etc.

Wol dir, Werlt, daz du bist
also freudenriche!
Ich wil dir sin undertan
durch din liebe immer sicherliche.
Seht Mich an, etc.

Salesmen, give me powdery rouge
to paint my cheeks all pure
so that the young men
cannot resist my allure.
See here now,
my young bucks
don’t I attract you?

Make love, not war, good men
and good and loving dames!
Love will stand you in high regard
and elevate your fames.
See here now, ...

Welsome world, you are
so rich in pleasure!
I will obey you always
and your love in boundless measure.
See here now, ...

Swaz hie gat umbe
das sint allez megede,
die wellent an man
alle disen sumer gan. Ah! Sla!

Here are the virgins
not one of them burgeons
they’ll shun a lover’s song
all this summer long! Ah! Sla!

Chume, chum, geselle min
ih enbite harte din.
Suzer rosenvarwer munt,
chum uñ mache mich gesunt.

Come, oh come, my pretty maid,
my yen for you’s yet unallayed.
Sweet rosy mouth
come heal my drought.

Swaz hie gat umbe, etc.
(repeat)

Here are the virgins ...
(repeat)

Were diu werlt alle min
von deme mere unze an den Rin,
des wolt ih mih darben,
daz diu chünegin von Engellant
lege an minen armen.

If the world were wholly mine
from the ocean to the Rhine,
I would it all forsake
to have the Queen of England
in my arms to take.

Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
in amaritudine
loquor mee menti;
factus de materia
cinis elementi,
similis sum folio,
de quo ludunt venti.
Cum sit enim proprium
viro sapienti
supra petram ponere
sedem fundamenti,
stultus ego comparor
fluvio labenti,
sub eodem tramite
nunquam permanenti.
Feror ego veluti
sine nauta navis
ut per vias aeris
vaga fertur avis;

In pulsing blood boil
passionately vehement,
in sarcastic irony
goes my inner argument;
of the earth earthy,
ash of element,
I am like a leaf
which the breezes have rent.
It is truly proper
for a knowledgeable gent
to build his house
on rock revetment,
but fool that I am,
like a river unspent,
I meander on byways
never permanent.
I am sent sailing
like a ship without a tiller
or an aimlessly gliding
avian triller;

non me tenet vincula,
non me tenet clavis,
quero mihi similes,
et adiungor pravis.
Mihi cordis gravitas
res videtur gravis;
iocus est amabilis
dulciorque favis;
quicquid Venus imperat,
labor est suavis,
que nunquam in cordibus
habitat ignavis.
Via lata gradior
more iuventutis,
inplicor et vitiis
immemor virtutis
voluptatis avidus
magis quam salutis
mortuus in anima
curam gero cutis.

chains and fetter don’t bind me,
neither post nor pillar,
I seek my own kind
and become a time-killer.
I can’t stand commitment,
my heart’ ever chiller;
playing around is more pleasant,
a real killer-diller.
Whatever Venus now orders
I am her short-order griller,
for she never graces
faint hearts who can’t thrill her.
Wide the road I move along
as is the way of youth,
and deep my pit of vice and lies
unmindful of the truth.
Not health but lust is my desire,
the rough and not the smooth,
though dead in soul
my macho might is all I can prove.

Olim lacus colueram,
olim pulcher extiteram--
dum cignus ego fueram.
Miser! Miser
Modo niger
et uster fortiter!
Girat, regirat garcifer;
me rogus urit fortiter:
propinat me nunc dapifer.
Miser! Miser! etc.
Nunc in scutella iaceo,
et volitare nequeo,
dentes frendentes video,
Miser! Miser! etc.

The roasted cygnet sings:
Once I dwelt upon the lake,
once so handsome on the make,
swan cob I was, a dashing rake.
Alack! Alack! Now I am charred black
baked on a rack!
Round and round cook turns the spit,
the fire is roasting my true grit
and now the banquet brands are lit.
Alack! Alack! ...
Now I’m prostrate on a platter,
I’ll fly no more in mind or matter.
I see teeth gnash and chatter.
Alack! Alack! ...

Ego sum abbas Cucaniensis,
et concilium meum est cum bibulis,
et in secta Decii voluntas mea est,
et qui mane me quesierit
in taberna,
post vesperam nudus egredietur,
et sic denudatus veste clamabit:
Wafna! Wafna!
Quid fecisti sors turpissima?
Nostre vite gaudia
abstulisti omnia!
Wafna! Wafna!
Ha, ha!

Myself, I’m the Abbot of Cucany
and I keep company with fellow drinkers
and freely belong to the sect of Decius
and whoever gambles with me
in the tavern
by evening has lost his shirt,
and so stripped of his clothes cries:
Wafna! Wafna!
What have you done, most filthy fate!
Life’s pleasures that heaped high our plate
you’ve snatched away before we ate!
Wafna! Wafna!
Ha ha!

In taberno quando sumus,
non curamus quid sit humus,
sed ad ludum properamus,
cui semper insudamus.
Quid agatur in taberna,
ubi nummus in pincerna,
hoc est opus ut queratur,
si quid loquar, audiatur.
Quidam ludunt, quidam bibunt,
quidam indiscrete vivunt.
Sed in ludo qui morantur,
ex his quidam denudantur,
quidam ibi vestiuntur,
quidam saccis induuntur.
Ibi nullus timet mortem,
sed pro Baccho mittunt sortem.
Primo pro nummata vini;
ex hac bibunt libertini.
Semel bibunt pro captivis,
post her bibunt ter pro vivis,
quater pro Christianis cunctis,
quinquies pro fidelibus defunctis,
sexies pro sororibus vanis,
septies pro militibus silvanis.
Octies pro fratribus perversis,
nonies pro monachis dispersis,
decies pro navigantibus,
undecies pro discordantibus,
duodecies pro penitentibus,
tredecies pro iter agentibus.
Tam pro papa quam pro rege
bibunt omnes sine lege.
Bibit hera, bibit herus,
bibit miles, bibit clerus,
bibit ille, bibit illa,
bibit servus cum ancilla,
bibit velox, bibit piger,
bibit albus, bibit niger,
bibit constans, bibit vagus,
bibit rudis, bibit magus.
Bibit pauper et egrotus,
bibit exul et ignotus,
bibit puer, bibit canus,
bibit presul et decanus,
bibit soror, bibit frater,
bibit anus, bibit mater,
bibit ista, bibit ille,
bibunt centum, bibunt mille.
Parum sexcente nummate
durant, cum immoderate
bibunt omnes sine meta.
Quamvis bibant mente leta,
sic nos rodunt omnes gentes.
et sic erimus egentes.
Qui nos rodunt confundatur
et cum iustis non scribantur. Io!

In the tavern where we retire,
we have no thought that we’ll expire
but to gaming we aspire,
at those labors we perspire.
In the tavern money rules
and buys the drinks for feckless fools;
listen if you would hear me tell
what goes on in this home-made hell.
Some guys gamble, others drink,
some into squalid shallows sink.
Those into games deluded
soon find themselves denuded;
some are left without a rag,
some barely covered by a bag.
There no one is afraid of death
while imbibing Bacchus’ breath.
First the dice are tossed for wine
on which the libertines do dine.
Then they toast the prisoners twice,
to those still living they drink thrice,
four times to Christians raise a toast,
five-fold to the departed host,
six slurps for sisters silly,
and seven for armed hilly-billy.
Eight gulps for brother perverse,
nine nips for monks so diverse,
ten tots for navigators,
eleven for disputators,
twelve for hung-over alesmen,
thirteen for traveling salesmen.
For Pope and King alike they drink,
imbibe all but the kitchen sink.
Drinks the mistress, drinks the master,
drinks the soldier, drinks the pastor,
drinks this guy and drinks that girl,
drinks the charmaid and the churl,
drinks city slicker and sad sack,
drinks the white man and the black,
drinks stay-at-home and also gypsy,
thinkers and dumb bells all get tipsy.
Drinks the pauper and the sick,
drinks the alien, the agnostic,
drinks the youth and nonagenarian,
drinks the bishop and seminarian,
drinks the sister and the brother,
drinks grandmother and also mother,
drinks the dandy, drinks the doll,
by hundreds, thousands, they drink all.
Six hundred sovereigns will not pay
for drinking done in this loose way
for boozing beyond reason’s play.
For though this toping’s always gay
there still are those who nag and quibble
that we’ll go broker, have nought to nibble.
May these quibblers soon be quashed
and from the eternal ledgers washed. Yo!

Amor volat undique,
captus est libidine.
Iuvenes, iuvencule
coniunguntur merito.
Siqua sine socio,
caret omni gaudio;
tenet noctis infima
sub intimo
cordis in custodia:
fit res amarissima.

The god of love flits all about,
goaded by libido’s knout.
Young guys and gals are fated,
inevitably mated.
A girl without a boy
is missing all the joy;
dark night enmires
and will destroy
her hearts desires:
these are most acrid fires.

Dies, nox et omnia
michi sunt contraria,
virginum colloquia
me fay planszer,
oy suvens suspirer
plu me fay temer.
O sodales, ludite,
vos qui scitis dicite,
michi mesto parcite,

Daytime, night and all about
against me stand, drive me to pout,
to hear the maidens shriek and shout
makes me lament;
ah, with sighs I’m bent
with fear I’m rent.
O comrades, have your fun
and if you wish, do pun,
but spare me, all undone

grand ey dolur,
attamen consulite
per voster honur.
Tua pulchra facies,
me fay planszer milies.
Pectus habet glacies,
a remender
statim vivus fierem
per un baser.

by a great grief,
advise this wretched one,
by your lief.
Your countenance bright
only adds to my plight
when my wishes you slight.
To bring bliss
back to me all I miss
is your kiss.

Stetit puella
rufa tunica;
si quis eam tetigit,
tunica crepuit.
Eia, eia.

There stood a miss
in a red dress;
when she was nuzzled
the red dress rustled.
Eia!

Stetit puella
tamquam rosula;
facie splenduit,
os eius floruit.
Eia, eia.

There stood a cutie
rosy with beauty;
her face all glowing,
her lips full flowing.
Eia!

Circa mea pectora
multa sunt suspiria
de tua pulchritudine,
que me ledunt misere.
Manda liet,
manda liet,
min geselle
chomet niet.

Deep sighs infest
my aching chest,
your pulchritude
laid low this dude.
Manda liet
manda liet
my dear dame
never came.

Tui lucent oculi
sicut solis radii,
sicut splendor fulguris
lucem donans tenebris.
Manda liet, etc.

Vellet deus, vellent dii
quod mente proposui;
ut eius virginea
reserassem vincula.
Manda liet, etc.

Your dark eyes fine
like sun’s rays shine.
like lightning bright
in the dead of night.
Manda liet ...

May all deities now bless
my aspiration with success;
give maid release
and me some peace.
Manda liet ...

Si puer cum puellula
moraretur in cellula,
felix coniunctio.
Amore sucrescente,
pariter e medio
avulso procul tedio,
fit ludus ineffabilis
membris, lacertis, labiis.

If a young maiden and her groom
are left alone in their own room,
happy is their conjunction.
Their passions keep on mounting,
modesty’s vanished
far away it is banished,
ineffable pleasure now grips
their limbs, their arms, their lips.

Veni, veni, venias,
ne me mori facias,
hyrca, hyrca, nazazza,
trillirivos ...
Pulchra tibi facies,
oculorum acies,
capillorum series,
o quam clara species!
Rosa rubicundior,
lilio candidior,
omnibus formosior,
semper in te glorior!

Come, come, keep coming
don’t let me stop humming,
hyrca, hyrca, nazazza
trillirivos ...
Lovely is your face,
your glances of grace,
your hairlocks like lace,
all’s in its place.
Redder than the rose,
whiter than lily grows,
more shapely than all of those;
I’ll always love you, head to toes.

In trutina mentis dubia
fluctuant contraria
lascivus armor et pudicitia.
Sed eligo quod video,
collum iugo prebeo;
ad iugum tamen suave transeo.

Between two ways I hover,
pulled one way by my lover,
while chastity would draw the cover.
But I choose what I see
and take the yoke on me,
the sweet yoke of love’s charity.

Tempus est iocundum
o virgines;
modo congaudete,
vos iuvenes.
Oh, oh, oh,
totus floreo,
iam amore virginali
totus ardeo,
novus, novus amor
est, quo pereo.

Mea me confortat
promissio,
mea me deportat
negatio.
Oh, oh, etc.

The season is for pleasure
o ye maidens;
now celebrate
you young gents.
Oh, oh, oh,
how I bloom and grow,
for love of a maiden
I burn and glow,
this new, new love
now lays me low.

What a relief
your “yes” is,
but “no“ brings grief,
depresses.
Oh, oh ...

Tempore brumali
vir patiens,
animo vernali
lasciviens.
Oh, oh, etc.

Mea mecum ludit
virginitas,
mea me detrudit
simplicitas.
Oh, oh, etc.

Veni, domicella,
cum gaudio,
veni, veni, pulchra,
iam pereo.
Oh, oh, etc.

In wintertime
libido’s null
but spring will prime
the pump to full.
Oh, oh ...

My maiden state
I find most thrilling
but stand and wait
for its fulfilling.
Oh, oh ...

Come my beauty,
come with relish,
come do your duty
before I perish.
Oh, oh ...

Dulcissime,
ah, totam tibi subdo me!

My sweet love true,
I yield my all to you.

Ave formosissima,
gemma pretiosa,
ave decus virginum,
virgo gloriosa,
ave mundi luminar,
ave mundi rosa,
Blanziflor et Helena,
Venus generosa!

Hail to thee, great beauty,
rare gem most precious,
hail, glory of virgins,
virgin most gracious,
hail, light of the world,
rose of earth spacious,
Blanziflor et Helena,
Venus capacious!

O fortuna,
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.
Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,

O Lady Luck
so lunar struck
and ever changing,
you ebb and flow
and fade and glow
O life deranging,
first you misread
and then you heed
our hopes heartfelt.
Both the rich folk
and the flat broke
like ice you melt.
O bloated fate
inanimate,
you spin your wheel,
turn good health bad
and happy sad
with mindless zeal.

obumbrata
et velata
michi quoque niteris;
nunc per ludem
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
michi 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!

Behind a shroud
of veiling cloud,
me too you thrash,
and my bare back
is scarred by crack
of your cruel lash.
You, greedy fate,
absquatulate
with all my merit.
All that is fine
you undermine.
Let’s grin and bear it.
Here and soon
let’s pluck a tune
upon our mortal fiddle;
since even the brave
can fate enslave,
let’s sing that life’s a riddle!