Fac Bene Dum Vivis
O dives, dives, non omni tempore vives!
Fac bene dum vivis, post mortem vivere si vis.
Source: Philosophia Patrum (ed. Wegeler), 792. Meter: Dactylic Hexameter. Note the rhymes in both lines: dives-vives and vivis-si vis.
The vocabulary is keyed to the DCC Latin Vocabulary list. All the words in this poem are on that list!
Oh rich man, rich man (O dives, dives), you will not live (non vives) forever! (omni tempore) Do good while you live (fac bene dum vivis), if you want to live (si vis vivere) after death (post mortem).
bene: well
dīves, dīvitis: rich (poet. dīs, dītis)
dum: while (+ indic.); until (+ subj.); provided that (+ subj.)
facio facere fēcī factum: do, make
mors mortis f.: death
nōn: not
O = English O, oh
omnis -e: all, every, as a whole
post: after (adv. and prep. +acc.)
sī: if
tempus -oris n.: time
vīvo -ere vīxī victum: live
volo velle voluī: wish, be willing
