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Wise is he who this hour, not year by year,
Makes himself safeguards, antidotes and shields
Against the weapons death or fortune wields.

— Francesco Berni

Savio e chi d'or in or, non d'anno in anno,
Scudi, remedi, antidoti raguna
Contra i colpi di morte e di fortuna.

Original text (Italian)

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Notes from Wikiquote

XXXI, 2

Topics

Luck

More quotes by Francesco Berni

Non vien si tardi il mal che non sia presto.

Never a man unblemished virtue shows,
Save when he is the butt of fortune's blows.

He still fought stoutly on—and he was dead.

Whoe'er he be, none more than human deem,
And each may speak as good to him doth seem.

Nor power nor pleasure e'er can be enjoyed,
What time they with suspicion are alloyed.

All Francesco Berni quotes →

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Francesco Berni (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.