Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus is a student song common to the entire European University culture. The lyrics derive from a penitential psalm probably dating from the 13th century.
References in many plays of the 18th century (e.g. Ludvig Holberg's comedies from the 1720s) attest to its near-universal popularity, but it did not reach its current/final version until it was published by the German C.W. Kindleben in 1781.
The melody now associated with the song has been in use since around 1740, and is used in the finale of Johannes Brahms' Akademische Festouverture (opus 80, 1880).
There are a few errors in transcription in
jliszka's otherwise fine writeup, above, so I'll add the full (Kindleben) text in
Latin here:
Gaudeamus igitur,
Iuvenes dum sumus;
Post iucundam iuventutem,
Post molestam senectutem
Nos habebit humus,
Nos habebit humus.
Ubi sunt, qui ante nos
In mundo fuere?
Vadite ad superos,
Transite ad inferos,
Ubi iam fuere,
Ubi iam fuere.
Vita nostra brevis est,
Brevi finietur;
Venit mors velociter,
Rapit nos atrociter;
Nemini parcetur,
Nemini parcetur.
Vivat academia,
Vivant professores,
Vivat membrum quod libet,
Vivant membra quae libet;
Semper sint in flore,
Semper sint in flore.
Vivat et respublica
Et qui illam regit,
Vivat nostra civitas,
Maecenatum caritas,
Quae nos hic protegit,
Quae nos hic protegit.
Vivant omnes virgines,
Faciles, formosae,
Vivant et mulieres,
Tenerae, amabiles,
Bonae, laboriosae,
Bonae, laboriosae.
Pereat tristitia,
Pereant osores,
Pereat diabolus
Quivis antiburschius,
Atque irrisores!
Atque irrisores!
Quis confluxus hodie
Academicorum?
E longinquo convenerunt,
Protinusque successerunt
In commune forum,
In commune forum.
Vivat nostra societas,
Vivant studiosi
Crescat una veritas,
Floreat fraternitas,
Patriae prosperitas,
Patriae prosperitas.
Alma Mater floreat,
Quae nos educavit;
Caros et commilitones,
Dissitas in regiones
Sparsos, congregavit,
Sparsos, congregavit.