O, that you were yourself, but, love, you are

愿你永远是你自己呵！可是，我爱，

No longer yours than you yourself here live;

你如今活着，将来会不属于自己：

Against this coming end you should prepare,

你该准备去对抗末日的到来，

And your sweet semblance¹ to some other give.

把你可爱的形体让别人来承继。

So should that beauty which you hold in lease

这样，你那租借得来的美影，

Find no determination, then you were

就能够克服时间，永远不到期：

Yourself again after your self's decease,

你死后可以重新成为你自身，

When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.

只要你儿子保有你美丽的形体。

Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,

谁会让这么美好的屋子垮下去，

Which husbandry in honour might uphold

不用勤勉和节俭来给以支柱，

Against the stormy gusts² of winter's day

来帮他对抗冬天的狂风暴雨，

And barren rage of death's eternal cold?

对抗死神的毁灭一切的冷酷？

O, none but unthrifts! Dear my love, you know,

只有败家子才会这样呵——你明白：

You had a father; let your son say so.

你有父亲，你儿子也该有啊，我爱！