Michael Eyquen de Montaigne

Like the watermen who advance forward while they look backward.

Like the watermen who advance forward while they look backward.

Light may come where all looks darkest,
Hope hath life, when life seems o'er.

Light may come where all looks darkest,
Hope hath life, when life seems o'er.

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

And neglected his task for the flowers on the way.

And neglected his task for the flowers on the way.

The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; read more

The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; it is no longer thyme or
marjolaine: so the pieces borrowed from others he will transform
and mix up into a work all his own.
[Fr., Les abeilles pillotent deca dela les fleurs; mais elles en
font aprez le miel, qui est tout leur; ce n'est plus thym, ny
marjolaine: ainsi les pieces empruntees d'aultruy, il les
transformera et confondra pour en faire un ouvrage tout sien.]