Imitation of Christ

Ha stulte, quid cogitas te diu victurum, cum nullum diem habeas securum? Quam multi decepti sunt et insperati de corpore extracti! Quoties audisti a dicentibus, quia ille gladio cecidit, ille submersus est, ille ab alto ruens cervicem fregit, ille manducando obriguit, ille ludendo finem fecit, alius igne, alius ferro, alius peste, alius latrocinio interiit: et sic omnium finis mors est, et vita hominum tanquam umbra cito pertransit. 
 

Ah, foolish one! Why think that you will live long, when you are not sure of a single day? How many have been deceived, and suddenly have been snatched away from the body! How many times have you heard how one was slain by the sword, another was drowned, another falling from on high broke his neck, another died at the table, another whilst at play! One died by fire, another by the sword, another by the pestilence, another by the robber. Thus death comes to all, and the life of men swiftly passes away like a shadow.

Imitation of Christ, I, 23:7