Fortune, now see, now proudly
Pluck off thy veil, and view thy triumph; look,
Look what thou read more

Fortune, now see, now proudly
Pluck off thy veil, and view thy triumph; look,
Look what thou hast brought this land to!--

Just for a handful of silver he left us,
Just for a ribbon to stick in his coat;
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Just for a handful of silver he left us,
Just for a ribbon to stick in his coat;
Found the one gift of which Fortune bereft us,
Lost all the others she lets us devote.

The day of fortune is like a harvest day,
We must be busy when the corn is ripe.
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The day of fortune is like a harvest day,
We must be busy when the corn is ripe.
[Ger., Ein tag der Gunst ist wie ein Tag der Ernte,
Man muss geschaftig sein sobald sie reift.]

Don't trust in fortune until you are in heaven.

Don't trust in fortune until you are in heaven.

Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a read more

Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.

Behind every great fortune there is a crime.

Behind every great fortune there is a crime.

It is fortune, not wisdom, that rules man's life.
[Lat., Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia.]

It is fortune, not wisdom, that rules man's life.
[Lat., Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia.]

Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.

Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.

Fortune is the rod of the weak, and the staff of the brave.

Fortune is the rod of the weak, and the staff of the brave.