WIST Quotations

Johnson, Samuel -- Essay (1753-11-27), The Adventurer, No. 111

Dave — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:42:17 +0000

The evils inseparably annexed to the present condition of man, are so numerous and afflictive, that it has been, from age to age, the task of some to bewail, and of others to solace them; and he, therefore, will be in danger of seeing a common enemy, who shall attempt to depreciate the few pleasures and felicities which nature has allowed us.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Essay (1753-11-27), The Adventurer, No. 111
(Source)

Omar Khayyam -- Rubáiyát [رباعیات], Bod. # 127 [tr. Le Gallienne (1897)]

Dave — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:16:19 +0000

Eternal torment some sour wits foretell
For those who follow wine and love too well, —
Fear not, for God were left alone in Heaven
If all the lovely lovers burnt in hell.

Omar Khayyám (1048-1123) Persian poet, mathematician, philosopher, astronomer [عمر خیام]
Rubáiyát [رباعیات], Bod. # 127 [tr. Le Gallienne (1897)]
(Source)

I am fairly certain I am conflating two different quatrains below, Bodleian 127 (which mentions hypocrisy in the second line), and one not found in that manuscript (see the Whinfield translations). But both conclude with the sentiment that if lovers and drinkers are to be sent to Hell, then Heaven will be empty. Further discernment is left as an exercise for the reader.

This quatrain(s) is also unique in FitzGerald only offering a single go at translation, and that in just the 2nd ed.

Alternate translations:

If but the Vine and Love-abjuring Band
Are in the Prophet's Paradise to stand,
Alack, I doubt the Prophet's Paradise
Were empty as the hollow of one's hand.
[tr. FitzGerald, 2nd Ed (1868), # 65; this does not appear in other editions before or after]

Folk say that there is a hell. This is a vain error, in which no trust should be placed, for if there were a hell for lovers and for bibbers of wine, why heaven would be, from to-morrow morn, as empty as the hollow of my hand.
[tr. McCarthy (1879), # 131]

If wine be an unpardonable sin,
God help Khayyam and his wine-bibbing kin!
If all poor drouthy souls be lodged elsewhere,
Heaven's plains must be as bare as maiden's chin.
[tr. Whinfield (1882), # 33]

Drunkards are doomed to hell, so men declare,
Believe it not, 'tis but a foolish scare;
Heaven will be empty as this hand of mine,
If none who love good drink find entrance there.
[tr. Whinfield (1883), # 67]

To drain the cup, to hover round the fair,
Can hypocritic arts with these compare?
If all who love and drink are going wrong,
There's many a wight of heaven may well despair!
[tr. Winfield (1883), #381]

With Tales of future pains men threaten me,
They say there is a Hell in store for thee; --
Love, if there is a Hell for all like us,
Their Heaven as empty as my Palm will be.
[tr. Garner (1887), 1.19]

To drink wine and consort with a company of the beautiful
is better than practising the hypocrisy of the zealot;
if the lover and the drunkard are doomed to hell,
then no one will see the face of heaven.
[tr. Heron-Allen (1898), # 127]

Better to drink, with fair maids wander free.
Than in deceit to practice piety;
If sots and lovers all in Hell will be.
Then who would wish the face of Heaven to see?
[tr. Thompson (1906), # 425]

Tis better here with Love and Wine to sit
Than to become the zealous hypocrite;
If all who love or drink are doom'd to Hell,
On whom shall Heaven bestow a benefit?
[tr. Talbot (1908), # 127]

Drinking wine and wooing fair ones
Is a better thing than the hypocrisy of fanatics.
If all who drink wine were to go to Hell
No one would then behold Paradise.
[tr. Rosen (1928), # 256]

Better to drink and dance with rosy fairs,
Than cheat the folk with doubtful pious wares;
Tho' drunkards, so they say, are doomed to hell,
To go to heaven with cheats who ever cares?
[tr. Tirtha (1941), # 10.88]

They say lovers and drunkards go to hell,
A controversial dictum not easy to accept:
If the lover and drunkard are for hell,
Tomorrow Paradise will be empty.
[tr. Avery/Heath-Stubbs (1979), # 87]

Martial -- Epigrams [Epigrammata], Book 1, epigram 28 (1.28) (AD 85-86) [tr. Wright (1663)]

Dave — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 22:44:15 +0000

Who says with last night’s wine Acerra stinks,
Is much deceived: till day Acerra drinks.

[Hesterno fetere mero qui credit Acerram,
Fallitur: in lucem semper Acerra bibit.]

Martial (AD c.39-c.103) Spanish Roman poet, satirist, epigrammatist [Marcus Valerius Martialis]
Epigrams [Epigrammata], Book 1, epigram 28 (1.28) (AD 85-86) [tr. Wright (1663)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

Acerra smells of last night's wine, you say.
Don't wrong Acerra: he topes on till day.
[tr. Elphinston (1782), Book 12, ep. 117]

Whoever believes it is of yesterday's wine that Acerra smells, is mistaken: Acerra always drinks till morning.
[tr. Bohn's Classical (1859)]

Lest you think Afer smells of his yesterday's wine
I give warning
That Afer continues potating each night
Till it's morning.
[tr. Nixon (1911), "By the Book"]

He who fancies that Acerra reeks of yesterday's wine is wrong. Acerra always drinks till daylight.
[tr. Ker (1919)]

He reeks, you might think, of his yesterday's drink;
But knowing his customs and ways,
You are wrong, I'll be sworn, for he drank till the morn,
So the savour is truly today's.
[tr. Pott & Wright (1921)]

You say he still reeked of last night's wine
When he spoke to you, stifling a yawn?
Oh no, you are wrong, you're mistaken, sir!
He always drinks till dawn.
[tr. Marcellino (1968)]

Acerra reeks of last night's wine?
No. He drinks on into the sunshine.
[tr. Bovie (1970)]

Anybody who thinks that Acerra reeks of yesterday's wine misses his guess. Acerra always drinks till sunrise.
[tr. Shackleton Bailey (1993)]

They claimed, with blamings not condign,
He reeked at morn of last night's wine.
He intermits not in such ways:
Not last night's wine -- it was today's.
[tr. Wills (2007)]

Whoever thinks Acerra stinks of last night's wine
is wrong. He drinks till light begins to shine.
[tr. McLean (2014)]

To say Acerra stinks of day-old booze is wrong!
Each drink is freshened all night long!
[tr. Juster (2016)]

Kerouac, Jack -- On the Road, Part 2, ch. 4 (1957)

Dave — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:51:32 +0000

I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.

Jack Kerouac (1922–1969) Canadian-American novelist and poet
On the Road, Part 2, ch. 4 (1957)
(Source)

Luther, Martin -- Letter to Jerome Weller (Jul 1530)

Dave — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:40:44 +0000

Whenever the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do some other merry thing. Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, aye, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all. So when the devil says to you: “Do not drink,” answer him: “I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to.” One must always do what Satan forbids.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) German priest, theologian, writer, religious reformer
Letter to Jerome Weller (Jul 1530)
(Source)

Alt. trans.: "We are soon defeated if we try too hard not to sin. So when the devil says ‘Do not drink’ answer him: ‘I shall drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to!’"