O, that you were yourself! but, love, you are
No longer yours than you yourself here live:
Against this coming end you should prepare,
And your sweet semblance¹ to some other give.
So should that beauty which you hold in lease
Find no determination: then you were
Yourself again after yourself's decease,
When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.
Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,
Which husbandry in honour might uphold
Against the stormy gusts² of winter's day
And barren rage of death's eternal cold?
  O, none but unthrifts! Dear my love, you know
  You had a father: let your son say so.

哦，但愿你是你自己，但爱呀，你
终非你有，当你不再活在世上：
对这将临的日子你得要准备，
快交给别人你那俊秀的肖像。
这样，你所租赁的朱颜就永远
不会有满期；于是你又将变成
你自己，当你已经离开了人间，
既然你儿子保留着你的倩影。
谁肯让一座这样的华厦倾颓，
如果小心地看守便可以维护
它的光彩，去抵抗隆冬的狂吹
和那冷酷的死神无情的暴怒？
　　哦，除非是浪子；我爱呀，你知道
　　你有父亲；让你儿子也可自豪。