Devouring² Time, blunt thou the lion's paws,
And make the earth devour¹ her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,
And burn the long-lived phoenix³ in her blood;
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets,
And do whate'er thou wilt⁴, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;
But I forbid thee one most heinous⁵ crime:
O, carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow,
Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;
Him in thy course untainted do allow
For beauty's pattern to succeeding men.
  Yet, do thy worst, old Time: despite thy wrong,
  My love shall in my verse ever live young.

饕餮的时光，去磨钝雄狮的爪，
命大地吞噬自己宠爱的幼婴，
去猛虎的颚下把它利牙拔掉，
焚毁长寿的凤凰，灭绝它的种，
使季节在你飞逝时或悲或喜；
而且，捷足的时光，尽肆意地摧残
这大千世界和它易谢的芳菲；
只有这极恶大罪我禁止你犯：
哦，别把岁月刻在我爱的额上，
或用古老的铁笔乱画下皱纹：
在你的飞逝里不要把它弄脏，
好留给后世永作美丽的典型。
　　但，尽管猖狂，老时光，凭你多狠，
　　我的爱在我诗里将万古长青。