Francesco Berni Quotes

Francesco Berni was an Italian poet. He is credited for beginning what is now known as "Bernesque poetry", a serio-comedic type of poetry with elements of satire. Wikipedia  

✵ 1497 – 26. May 1535
Francesco Berni photo
Francesco Berni: 32   quotes 1   like

Famous Francesco Berni Quotes

“A certain proverb, that the whole world knows,
Says that loss also steals away our senses,
And that the man thus robbed, like madman goes
About, and right and left the blame dispenses.”

(Ed un certo proverbio cosl fatto
Dice cbe) il danno toglie ancbe il cervello;
E cbe cbi e rubato, come matto
va dando la colpa a questo e quello.
XLV, 4
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“But little virtue hath the tardy gift.”

Che poco grato e 'l don chi tardi viene.
XLV, 56
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“And still the arrows flew so thick and fast,
That, as by clouds, the heavens were overcast.”

Tal l'aspro saettare, e tanto dura,
Che per l'ombra de' dardi il ciel s'oscura.
LXIV, 61
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Of keeping silence few have paid the cost;
Of having said too much, a countless host.”

Pochi si son del silenzio pentiti;
De l'aver troppo parlato, infmiti.
XLI, 3.
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

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

Non si conosce la virtu perfetta,
Se non quando fortuna ne saetta.
XXXI, 32
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Like to a leafless tree,
Dry river bed, or house in pathless waste,
Is gentle blood that hath no courtesy.”

Ben è un ramo senza foglia,
Fiume senz' acqua e casa senza via,
La gentilezza senza cortesia.
LXIV, 61
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

Francesco Berni Quotes about pain

“And this doth overpass all other pain,
To find that our last hope is all in vain.”

Ed ogni altro martir passa ed avanza
Trovarsi vana l'ultima speranza.
XXIX, 13
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“To lose the thing we love is greater pain
Than to desire and never to obtain.”

Che lasciar quel che s'ama, e peggio assai
Che disiarlo, e non averlo mai.
XVII, 6
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

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

Che 'l perder l'acquistato e maggior doglia
Che mai non acquistar quel che l'uom voglia.
XXV, 58
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

Francesco Berni Quotes

“Ere now a simple tiller of the soil
Hath spoken words of wisdom to mankind;
A cloak all tattered and besmirched with toil
Hath ofttimes clothed a man of prudent mind.”

Ha qualche volta un ortolan parlato
Cose molte a proposito a la gente;
E da un mantel rotto e sporco e stato
Molte volte coperto un uom prudente.
LVIII, 1
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Think not that aught the fury can surpass
Of woman, when she feels that she is scorned.”

Non crediate che sia maggiore sdegno,
Che quel di donna quando e dispregiata.
IX, 23
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Making a virtue of necessity.”

III, 86
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“He who conveys a ring, a horse, a hat,
And things like these, shows some discrimination;
Mere petty pilfering a the name for that.
But him who steals another's reputation,
And on the fruits of others' toil grows fat,
Hail thief and murderer by acclamation.”

Chi ruba un corno, un cavallo, un anello,
E simil cose, ha qualche discrezione,
potrebbe chiarnarsi ladroncello;
Ma quel che ruba la riputazione,
E de l'altrui fatiche si fa bello,
Si puo chiamare assassino e ladrone.
LI, 1
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Cursed be he who e'er has put his trust
Or who henceforth shall trust in woman's heart;
False are they all, and to mankind a curse;
The plain are bad enough, the fair are worse.”

Sia maladetto chi si fidò mai,
O vuol fidarsi di donna che sia;
Che false sono e maladette tutte;
E più anche le belle che le brutte.
XXII, 49
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“For judgment appertains to God alone.”

Che il far giudicio appartien solo a Dio.
III, 2
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“For he who patience hath can all things do.”

Che chi a pazienza fa ogni cosa.
XXIII, 64
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“A king that would to do his duty try,
Is steward, truly, and not sovereign
Of those who bow to his authority.”

Un re, se vuole il suo debito fare,
Non e re veramente, ma fattore
Del popol che gli e dato a governare.
VIII, 8
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

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

Nessuno e piu ch' un uom, sia chi si vuole:
Ognun puo dire a suo modo parole.
XVII, 22
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“He still fought stoutly on—and he was dead.”

LIII, 60
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Mishaps
How late soe'er they come, come aye too soon.”

Non vien si tardi il mal che non sia presto.
XLIII, 5
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“From one disorder oft a hundred spring.”

XL, 1
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“For fault inveterate, new punishment.”

A colpa vecchia pena nuova.
LVI, 8
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“So those whose heads with snowy locks are crowned,
More ready to advise than aid are found.”

Così da sempre ogni capo canuto
Piu volentier consilio, ched ajuto.
XXX, 61
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Neither in prose nor verse we aught can say,
But some one said it long before our day.”

LIX, 1
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

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

Ne la grandezza giova ne 'l diletto,
Che s'acquista o si tenga con sospetto.
XXXVII, 29
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Each should be sure of an untarnished name,
Before he ventures others' faults to blame.”

Che guardar dee ciascun d'esser ben netto,
Prima ch' altri riprenda di difetto.
XXVI, 34
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“With whip and spur he paid his tavern bill.”

XLIV, 70
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Andava combattendo ed era morto.”

He still fought stoutly on—and he was dead.
LIII, 60
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

“Con le calcagna pagava lo scotto.”

With whip and spur he paid his tavern bill.
XLIV, 70
Rifacimento of Orlando Innamorato

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