English
On a Warning
Which generous, honest soul among you would come to me
and put in a good word or two before the honored lord?
For your servant, being decent by nature,
rarely writes filthy or obscene verse against anyone.
But now and then, just as payment in kind, his temper flares,
and when the need arises, he writes satire too.
There is no blame, no fault at all, in the one
who freely lets his pen praise or condemn the world.