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Prince, I know all, in short,
I know pink cheeks from wan,
I know Death all-devouring,
I know all, save myself.

— François Villon

Prince, je congnois tout en somme,
Je congnois coulourez et blesmes,
Je congnois Mort qui tout consomme,
Je congnois tout, fors que moy mesmes.

Original text (French)

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More quotes by François Villon

But whatever may be said about the life of work,
There is no treasure quite like living at one's ease.

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

The breasts all shrivelled up and gone;
The haunches like the paps withdrawn.

But where are the snows of bygone years?

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

"In riding to the hounds, in falconry,
In love or war," as anyone will tell you,
"For one brief joy a hundred woes."

Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461)

Brother men who after us live on,
Harden not your hearts against us.

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Attribution

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