O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power
Dost hold Time's fickle¹ glass, his sickle², hour;
Who hast by waning³ grown, and therein show'st
Thy lovers withering⁴ as thy sweet self grow'st;
If Nature, sovereign mistress over wrack,
As thou goest onwards, still will pluck thee back,
She keeps thee to this purpose, that her skill
May time disgrace and wretched minutes kill.
Yet fear her, O thou minion⁵ of her pleasure!
She may detain, but not still keep, her treasure:
  Her audit⁶, though delay'd, answer'd must be,
  And her quietus is to render thee.

你，小乖乖，时光的无常的沙漏
和时辰（他的小镰刀）都听你左右；
你在亏缺中生长，并昭示大众
你的爱人如何雕零而你向荣；
如果造化（掌握盈亏的大主宰），
在你迈步前进时把你挽回来，
她的目的只是：卖弄她的手法
去丢时光的脸，并把分秒扼杀。
可是你得怕她，你，她的小乖乖！
她只能暂留，并非常保，她的宝贝！
她的账目，虽延了期，必须清算：
要清偿债务，她就得把你交还。