Foge-me pouco a pouco a curta vida (se por caso é verdade que inda vivo); vai-se-me o breve tempo d'ante os olhos; choro pelo passado e quando falo, … - Luís de Camões

<small>To this old song:
Partridge lost his quill,
there's no harm won't befall him.</small> Partridge, whose winged fancy
aspired to a high estate,
lost a feather in his flight
and won the pen of despondency.
He finds in the breeze no buoyancy
for his pennants to haul him:
there's no harm won't befall him. He wished to soar to a high tower
but found his plumage clipped,
and, observing himself plucked, pines away in despair.
If he cries out for succor,
stoke the fire to forestall him:
there's no harm won't befall him.

Nor do I sing for courtesy's sake
with a taste for praising, but to make
pure truths known about my former times.
Would to God they were mere dreams.

Sete anos de pastor Jacob servia
Labão, pai de Raquel, serrana bela;
Mas não servia o pai, servia a ela,
E a ela só por prémio pretendia.