O, how much more doth beauty beauteous seem
By that sweet ornament¹ which truth doth give!
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odour which doth in it live.
The canker-blooms have full as deep a dye
As the perfumed tincture of the roses,
Hang on such thorns and play as wantonly
When summer's breath their masked buds discloses:
But, for their virtue² only is their show,
They live unwoo'd and unrespected fade,
Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;
Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odours made:
  And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,
  When that shall fade, my verse distills your truth.

哦，美看起来要更美得多少倍，
若再有真加给它温馨的装潢！
玫瑰花很美，但我们觉得它更美，
因为它吐出一缕甜蜜的芳香。
野蔷薇的姿色也是同样旖旎，
比起玫瑰的芳馥四溢的姣颜，
同挂在树上，同样会搔首弄姿，
当夏天呼息使它的嫩蕊轻展：
但它们唯一的美德只在色相，
开时无人眷恋，萎谢也无人理；
寂寞地死去。香的玫瑰却两样；
她那温馨的死可以酿成香液：
　　你也如此，美丽而可爱的青春，
　　当韶华雕谢，诗提取你的纯精。