[CB 14] In taberna quando sumus [English translation]

When we're in the tavern,

we don't care how the land's doing,

on the contrary we're rushing to gamble

over which we're always sweating.

What happens in the tavern

where coin is the waiter,

this is what needs to be asked

if anyone wants to hear.

Some gamble, some drink,

some live conspicuously

Furthermore from those who're gambling

some are stripped down

some are clothed here

some are dressed in sacks,

no one fears death here

but they're throwing dice for Bacchus (for revelry).

Firstly the coins for the wine

then the libertines drink;

they drink once for the prisoners,

after that, thrice for the living,

fourfold for the Christians' body (all christians),

fivefold for the faithful departed,

sixfold for the unworthy sisters (sluts),

sevenfold for the Nymph soldiers(of nature, probably people living in the wild)

eightfold for the errant brothers,

ninefold for the dispersed monks,

tenfold for the sailors,

elevenfold for the disputants,

twelvefold for the repenters,

thirteenfold for the travellers.

For both the pope and king

everybody's drinking without restraint.

Drinks the mistress, drinks the master

drinks the soldier, drinks the cleric,

he drinks, she drinks,

drink the servant with the maid

drinks the fast one, drinks the slow one

drinks the white one, drinks the black one

drinks the householder, drinks the drifter

drinks the ignorant, drinks the scholar

drink the poor and the sick,

drink the exile and the stranger,

drinks the boy, drinks the greybeard

drink the bishop and the deacon

drinks the sister, drinks the brother

drinks the granny, drinks the mother

there she's drinking, here's he drinking

they drink a hundred, they drink a thousand.

A ton of coins lasts

too little when everyone's

drinking excessively without limit

even though they drink with a joyous heart;

as you see everybody's sucking us away

and so we'll become poor

Everyone who's sucking us away let them scatter

and let them not be recorded among the righteous.

• Artist:Carl Orff
• Album:Carmina Burana