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The loss of what we have is pain more dire
Than not to gain the thing that we desire.

— Francesco Berni

Che 'l perder l'acquistato e maggior doglia
Che mai non acquistar quel che l'uom voglia.

Original text (Italian)

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Notes from Wikiquote

XXV, 58

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 →

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.