Lyrics Carl Orff - Carmina Burana 5. Primo vere - Ecce gratum

Ecce gratum........................ Behold, the pleasant
et optatum..........................and longed-for
Ver reducit gaudia,................ spring brings back joyfulness,
purpuratum..........................violet flowers
floret pratum,......................fill the meadows,
sol serenat omnia...................the sun brightens everything,
Iamiam cedant tristia!..............sadness is now at an end!
Estas redit,........................Summer returns,
nunc recedit........................now withdraw
hyemis sevitia..................... the rigours of winter. Ah!


Iam liquescit...................... Now melts
et decrescit........................and disappears
grando, nix et cetera;..............ice, snow and the rest,
bruma fugit,........................winter flees,
et iam sugit........................and now spring sucks at summer's breast:
ver estatis ubera;..................a wretched soul is he
illi mens est misera,.............. who does not live
qui nec vivit,......................or lust
nec lascivit........................under summer's rule. Ah!
sub estatis dextera.


Gloriantur..........................They glory
et letantur........................ and rejoice
in melle dulcedinis,................in honeyed sweetness
qui conantur,...................... who strive
ut utantur..........................to make use of
premio Cupidinis:.................. Cupid's prize;
simus jussu Cypridis................at Venus' command
gloriantes..........................let us glory
et letantes........................ and rejoice
pares esse Paridis................. in being Paris' equals. Ah!