--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us live while we can, speak while we…" description: "\"“Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at present pursue our journey; for, this joke has already lasted too long.”\" — Miguel de Cervantes S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg" --- # Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at… ![“Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at present pursue our journey; for, this joke has already lasted too long.” quote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg) > ““Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at present pursue our journey; for, this joke has already lasted too long.”” [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live fully now, speak when you can, and pursue your path, because life’s absurdity has already gone on too long. **In simple terms:** Seize the moment before life feels like a joke. Key Takeaway Act before time runs out. Themes time action absurdity life purpose Mood motivational urgent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal growth - relationships Key Concepts existentialism carpe diem Questions to Reflect On - What will you do today that you’ve been delaying? - How do you balance urgency with patience? A Different Perspective Life’s brevity can lead to procrastination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Joke Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke-lasted-4162008/) [Journey Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-joke-4162009/) [Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasted/) [Let Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-live/) [Life philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-philosophy/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) ## Related quotes > [“A good joke, that!" returned Don Quixote. "Books that have been printed with the king's licence, and with the approbation of those to whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/a-good-joke-that-returned-don-quixote-books-that-have-been-printed/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [The money was good while it lasted. The best part was clearly that it changed my view of what's possible, as far as thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shue/the-money-was-good-while-it-lasted-the-best-part-was-clearly-that-it/) [Andrew Shue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shue/) > [“All I knew now was that nothing lasted forever, not even a friendship, and that being "different" felt the same as being alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/all-i-knew-now-was-that-nothing-lasted-forever-not-even-a-friendship/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [The truth of the matter is that I have lasted a long time, and with it comes both good and bad things. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-i-have-lasted-a-long-time-and-with-it/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [As a result, I had to get my own playground which was my band Colours. This band lasted for about eight years and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-weber/as-a-result-i-had-to-get-my-own-playground-which-was-my-band-colours/) [Eberhard Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-weber/) > [I have three friendships that have lasted a long time, but everybody else has come and gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-vega/i-have-three-friendships-that-have-lasted-a-long-time-but-everybody/) [Alexa Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-vega/) > [There was a period of time that I got rather big-headed. It lasted about three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-essex/there-was-a-period-of-time-that-i-got-rather-big-headed-it-lasted/) [David Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-essex/) > [Sometimes,” he said after a second that lasted a million years, “things get broken. And they can’t be fixed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/sometimes-he-said-after-a-second-that-lasted-a-million-years-things/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [I told the caterer I'd work for nothing if he'd teach me about catering. I lasted one week full-time. It was exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/i-told-the-caterer-i-d-work-for-nothing-if-he-d-teach-me-about/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“Like many people who lasted any length of time in the rescue professions, she'd worn out the 'if' factor pretty quickly. You were where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevada-barr/like-many-people-who-lasted-any-length-of-time-in-the-rescue/) [Nevada Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevada-barr/) > [“It can't last forever. Others have thought such things, in bad times before this, and they were always right, they did get out one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-can-t-last-forever-others-have-thought-such-things-in-bad-times/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The battle, if you could call it that, lasted no more than a few seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-battle-if-you-could-call-it-that-lasted-no-more-than-a-few-seconds/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Forever can never be forever, cause if forever was forever we would have, Lasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-rose-negrete/forever-can-never-be-forever-cause-if-forever-was-forever-we-would/) [Mercedes Rose Negrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-rose-negrete/) > [IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED BUT WHEN ITS DEAD LET IT GO PUT IT IN THE CASKET](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/it-was-good-while-it-lasted-but-when-its-dead-let-it-go-put-it-in-the/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra > [“Whether thus adorned she would have been beautiful or not, and what she must have been in her prosperity, may be imagined from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/whether-thus-adorned-she-would-have-been-beautiful-or-not-and-what/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“To give expression to humour, and write in a strain of graceful pleasantry, is the gift of great geniuses. The cleverest character in comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/to-give-expression-to-humour-and-write-in-a-strain-of-graceful/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“Rocinante felt the desire to pleasure himself with the ladies, and as soon as he picked up their scent he abandoned his natural ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/rocinante-felt-the-desire-to-pleasure-himself-with-the-ladies-and-as/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“If all, or almost all, the plays that are popular now, imaginative works as well as historical ones, are known to be nonsense and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/if-all-or-almost-all-the-plays-that-are-popular-now-imaginative-works/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“... truth, whose mother is history, who is the rival of time, depository of deeds, witness of the past, example and lesson to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/truth-whose-mother-is-history-who-is-the-rival-of-time-depository-of/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“his wits being quite gone, he hit upon the strangest notion that ever madman in this world hit upon, and that was that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/his-wits-being-quite-gone-he-hit-upon-the-strangest-notion-that-ever/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“he who does not know how to take advantage of luck when it comes to him, has no right to complain if it gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/he-who-does-not-know-how-to-take-advantage-of-luck-when-it-comes-to/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“Ésa es natural condición de mujeres -dijo don Quijote-: desdeñar a quien las quiere y amar a quien las aborrece. Pasa adelante, Sancho.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/sa-es-natural-condici-n-de-mujeres-dijo-don-quijote-desde-ar-a-quien/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“Puede haber amor sin celos, pero no sin temores. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/puede-haber-amor-sin-celos-pero-no-sin-temores/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“It is not the responsibility of knights errant to discover whether the afflicted, the enchained and the oppressed whom they encounter on the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-knights-errant-to-discover-whether/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“…que hay dos maneras de hermosura: una del alma y otra del cuerpo; la del alma campea y se muestra en el entendimiento, en…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/que-hay-dos-maneras-de-hermosura-una-del-alma-y-otra-del-cuerpo-la/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“But what made him still more fortunate, as he said himself, was having a daughter of such exceeding beauty, rare intelligence, gracefulness, and virtue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/but-what-made-him-still-more-fortunate-as-he-said-himself-was-having/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [And the first thing I would do in my government, I would have nobody to control me, I would be absolute; and who but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/and-the-first-thing-i-would-do-in-my-government-i-would-have-nobody/) [Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“A good joke, that!" returned Don Quixote. "Books that have been printed with the king's licence, and with the approbation of those to whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/a-good-joke-that-returned-don-quixote-books-that-have-been-printed/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) > [“(...) rest content and satisfied that as you are caught in the noose of love it is one of worth and merit that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/rest-content-and-satisfied-that-as-you-are-caught-in-the-noose-of/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) [Explore all 124 Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) ## More Joke quotes > [“You know where you can shove your joke. Just get me a new drink and try not to include and of your STD-laced body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrington/you-know-where-you-can-shove-your-joke-just-get-me-a-new-drink-and/) [Kim Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrington/) > [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [We're all basically decent human beings so if 3,000 people are laughing at a joke then it's worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/we-re-all-basically-decent-human-beings-so-if-3-000-people-are/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Westminster is no joke. I took some tough classes there. It prepared me for a tough career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-baldwin/westminster-is-no-joke-i-took-some-tough-classes-there-it-prepared-me/) [Brooke Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-baldwin/) > [If there's something tender going on like that, I can't make up a joke and put it on Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-beaumont/if-there-s-something-tender-going-on-like-that-i-can-t-make-up-a-joke/) [Lucy Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-beaumont/) > [Tell me that I misunderstood a joke, but don't tell me that my choice of cravat is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/tell-me-that-i-misunderstood-a-joke-but-don-t-tell-me-that-my-choice/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [There were guys in 'The State' who would take one script and rewrite it and rewrite it and rewrite it and fight for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-were-guys-in-the-state-who-would-take-one-script-and-rewrite-it/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [“Well, you better look out. They got a new bureau in the guvamint files. It’s called U.W. Stands for Useless Wimmen. Tha’s secret plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/well-you-better-look-out-they-got-a-new-bureau-in-the-guvamint-files/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“Caleb fed me better food during my kidnapping than these people. I laugh at my own joke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/caleb-fed-me-better-food-during-my-kidnapping-than-these-people-i/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [I remember I would always joke among my friends about a remake of 'Point Break'. I would say, 'You know what? Whenever there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/i-remember-i-would-always-joke-among-my-friends-about-a-remake-of/) [Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/) > [The joke is the purest, most essential form of storytelling. 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A man is hired to give advice to the readers of a newspaper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathanael-west/perhaps-i-can-make-you-understand-let-s-start-from-the-beginning-a/) [Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-west/) [Browse all 2,321 Joke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at present pursue our journey; for, this joke has already lasted too long.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we-may-and-at-present-pursue-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Joke" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we-may-and-at-present-pursue-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra-1_joke_let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we_2906604.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us live while we can, speak while we may, and at present pursue our journey; for, this joke has already…” — Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Let us live while we can,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we-may-and-at-present-pursue-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/let-us-live-while-we-can-speak-while-we-may-and-at-present-pursue-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```