Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye

是为了怕教寡妇的眼睛哭湿，

That thou consum'st thyself in single life?

你才在独身生活中消耗你自己？

Ah, if thou issueless shalt hap¹ to die,

啊！假如你不留下子孙就去世，

The world will wail² thee like a makeless wife;

世界将为你哭泣，像丧偶的妻：

The world will be thy widow and still weep,

世界将做你的未亡人，哭不完，

That thou no form of thee hast left behind,

说你没有把自己的形影留下来，

When every private widow well may keep,

而一切个人的寡妇却只要看见

By children's eyes, her husband's shape in mind.

孩子的眼睛就记住亡夫的神态。

Look what an unthrift in the world doth spend,

浪子在世间挥霍的任何财产

Shifts but his place, for still the world enjoys it;

只换了位置，仍能为世人享用；

But beauty's waste hath in the world an end,

而美的消费在世间可总有个完，

And kept unused, the user so destroys it:

守着不用，就毁在本人的手中。

No love toward others in that bosom³ sits

对自己会作这么可耻的谋害，

That on himself such murd'rous shame commits.

这种心胸不可能对别人有爱。