That thou hast her, it is not all my grief,
And yet it may be said I loved her dearly;
That she hath thee, is of my wailing¹ chief,
A loss in love that touches me more nearly.
Loving offenders², thus I will excuse ye:
Thou dost love her, because thou knowst I love her;
And for my sake even so doth she abuse me,
Suffering my friend for my sake to approve her.
If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain,
And losing her, my friend hath found that loss;
Both find each other, and I lose both twain,
And both for my sake lay on me this cross:
  But here's the joy; my friend and I are one;
  Sweet flattery! then she loves but me alone.

你占有她，并非我最大的哀愁，
可是我对她的爱不能说不深；
她占有你，才是我主要的烦忧，
这爱情的损失更能使我伤心。
爱的冒犯者，我这样原谅你们：
你所以爱她，因为晓得我爱她；
也是为我的原故她把我欺瞒，
让我的朋友替我殷勤款待她。
失掉你，我所失是我情人所获，
失掉她，我朋友却找着我所失；
你俩互相找着，而我失掉两个，
两个都为我的原故把我磨折：
　　但这就是快乐：你和我是一体；
　　甜蜜的阿谀！她却只爱我自己。