As fast as thou shalt wane¹, so fast thou growest

In one of thine, from that which thou departest;

And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest

Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest.

Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase:

Without this, folly², age and cold decay:

If all were minded so, the times should cease

And threescore year would make the world away.

Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,

Harsh featureless and rude, barrenly perish:

Look, whom she best endow'd she gave the more;

Which bounteous³ gift thou shouldst in bounty⁴ cherish:

She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby⁵

Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.

和你一样快地消沉，你的儿子，

也将一样快在世界生长起来；

你灌注给青春的这新鲜血液

仍将是你的，当青春把你抛开。

这里面活着智慧、美丽和昌盛；

没有这，便是愚蠢、衰老和腐朽：

人人都这样想，就要钟停漏尽，

六十年便足使世界化为乌有。

让那些人生来不配生育传宗，

粗鲁、丑陋和笨拙，无后地死去；

造化的至宠，她的馈赠也最丰，

该尽量爱惜她这慷慨的赐予：

她把你刻做她的印，意思是要

你多印几份，并非要毁掉原稿。