From fairest creatures we desire increase,
对天生的尤物我们要求蕃盛,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
以便美的玫瑰永远不会枯死,
But as the riper should by time decease,
但开透的花朵既要及时雕零,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
就应把记忆交给娇嫩的后嗣;
But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes,
但你,只和你自己的明眸定情,
Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
把自己当燃料喂养眼中的火焰,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
和自己作对,待自己未免太狠,
Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:
把一片丰沃的土地变成荒田。
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament,
你现在是大地的清新的点缀,
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
又是锦绣阳春的唯一的前锋,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
为什么把富源葬送在嫩蕊里,
And tender churl mak'st waste in niggarding:
温柔的鄙夫,要吝啬,反而浪用?
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
可怜这个世界吧,要不然,贪夫,
To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.
就吞噬世界的份,由你和坟墓。