O, lest the world should task you to recite
What merit lived in me, that you should love
After my death, dear love, forget me quite,
For you in me can nothing worthy¹ prove;
Unless you would devise some virtuous² lie,
To do more for me than mine own desert,
And hang more praise upon deceased I
Than niggard truth would willingly impart:
O, lest your true love may seem false in this,
That you for love speak well of me untrue,
My name be buried where my body is,
And live no more to shame nor me nor you.
  For I am shamed by that which I bring forth,
  And so should you, to love things nothing worth.

哦，免得这世界要强逼你自招
我有什么好处，使你在我死后
依旧爱我，爱人呀，把我全忘掉，
因外我一点值得提的都没有；
除非你捏造出一些美丽的谎，
过分为我吹嘘我应有的价值，
把瞑目长眠的我阿谀和夸奖，
远超过鄙吝的事实所愿昭示：
哦，怕你的真爱因此显得虚伪，
怕你为爱的原故替我说假话，
愿我的名字永远和肉体同埋，
免得活下去把你和我都羞煞。
　　因为我可怜的作品使我羞惭，
　　而你爱不值得爱的，也该愧赧。