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Historical poem record

Vita brevis, longa ars, præceps occasio, fallax

Vita brevis, longa ars, præceps occasio, fallax

EnglishLife is short, art is long, opportunity is fleeting, deceptive Experience, judgment a difficult matter; but

Language
Latin
Date
19th century
Meter
hexameter
Editorial status
Source-attested
Text
Source and English

Unit 1 · poem · hexameter · 5 lines

Latin

Source text

  1. 1

    Vita brevis, longa ars, præceps occasio, fallax

  2. 2

    Experientia, judicium res ardua, verum

  3. 3

    Non satis est medicum quo debet munere fungi,

  4. 4

    Ni gerat ægrotus morem, adstantes que ministri,

  5. 5

    Ipsiusque simul studeant externa soluti.

English text

Alignment approximate; line numbers are not a verified source-to-translation map.

Life is short, art is long, opportunity is fleeting, deceptive

Experience, judgment a difficult matter; but

It is not enough for the physician to discharge his required duty,

Unless the patient complies, as well as the attending servants,

And external circumstances likewise strive for his health.