Sir Henry Wotton (1568-1639), known for his one-liners was not only a diplomat and politician but also an author. 

He is said to have written only 15 poems in his lifetime. 

The popular quote we have heard so many times, “an ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country” is credited to him. 

He must have been a very jolly good fellow.  

Upon the death of his nephew Sir Albertus Morton’s wife Elizabeth Apsley, he wrote - 

“He first deceased; she for a little tried

To live without him, liked it not, and died.”

I find these lines very close to our great Urdu poet Firaq Gorakhpuri’s (Raghupati Sahay ‘Firaq’) many two liners.

Read this one – 

मोहब्बत में मेरी तन्हाइयों के हैं कई उनवान

तेरा आना, तेरा मिलना, तेरा उठना, तेरा जाना

(Mohabbat Me Meri Tanhayeeyon Ke Hain Kaye Unvan

Tera Aana Tera Milna Tera Uthna Tera Jaana)

Unvan means Title

Although it will never convey the music hidden in the words, still the English translation goes like this – 

(There are many names for my loneliness in love

Your coming, your meeting, your getting up, your going)

And about diplomats, I just remembered watching a French film, “Golden Wedding”, where an ex-diplomat says, “as a diplomat, I know how to confuse people better than anyone.” Well said.