Fortune is a great deceiver. She sells very dear the things she seems to give us.

Fortune is a great deceiver. She sells very dear the things she seems to give us.

Happiness consists more in the small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune read more

Happiness consists more in the small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.

The day of fortune is like a harvest day,
We must be busy when the corn is ripe.
read more

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.

Just for a handful of silver he left us,
Just for a ribbon to stick in his coat;
read more

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.

If hindrances obstruct the way,
Thy magnanimity display.
And let thy strength be seen:
read more

If hindrances obstruct the way,
Thy magnanimity display.
And let thy strength be seen:
But O, if Fortune fill thy sail
With more than a propitious gale,
Take half thy canvas in.

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.

Any one who is prosperous may by the turn of fortune's wheel
become most wretched before evening.
[Lat., read more

Any one who is prosperous may by the turn of fortune's wheel
become most wretched before evening.
[Lat., Quivis beatus, versa rota fortunae, ante vesperum potest
esse miserrimus.]

Every individual is the architect of his own fortune.

Every individual is the architect of his own fortune.