(I love Machiavelli.)

Because life is brief
and many are the pains
which, living and struggling, everyone sustains,
let us follow our desires,
passing and consuming the years,
because whoever deprives himself of pleasure
to live with anguish and with worries
doesn't know the tricks
of the world, or by what ills
and by what strange happenings
all mortals are almost overwhelmed.
Besides, we have been brought here
by the name of him who governs you,
in whom can be seen all
the goods gathered in the eternal countenance.
For such heavely grace,
for so happy a state,
you can be glad,
rejoice, and give thanks - to the one who gave him to you.
-- Mandragola, Niccolo Machiavelli