Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?

Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy.

Why lovest thou that which thou receivest not gladly,

Or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy?

If the true concord¹ of well-tuned sounds,

By unions married, do offend thine ear,

They do but sweetly chide² thee, who confounds

In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.

Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,

Strikes each in each by mutual³ ordering,

Resembling sire and child and happy mother

Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:

Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,

Sings this to thee: 'thou single wilt⁴ prove none.'

我的音乐，为何听音乐会生悲？

甜蜜不相克，快乐使快乐欢笑。

为何爱那你不高兴爱的东西，

或者为何乐于接受你的烦恼？

如果悦耳的声音的完美和谐

和亲挚的协调会惹起你烦忧，

它们不过委婉地责备你不该

用独奏窒息你心中那部合奏。

试看这一根弦，另一根的良人，

怎样融洽地互相呼应和振荡；

宛如父亲、儿子和快活的母亲，

它们联成了一片，齐声在欢唱。

它们的无言之歌都异曲同工

对你唱着："你独身就一切皆空。"