By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odour which doth in it live.
The canker-blooms have full as deep a dye
As the perfumed tincture of the roses,
Hang on such thorns and play as wantonly
When summer's breath their masked buds discloses:
But, for their virtue only is their show,
They live unwoo'd and unrespected fade,
Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;
Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odours made:
And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,
When that shall fade, my verse distills your truth.
哦,美看起來要更美得多少倍,
若再有真加給它溫馨的裝潢!
玫瑰花很美,但我們覺得它更美,
因?yàn)樗鲁鲆豢|甜蜜的芳香。
野薔薇的姿色也是同樣旖旎,
比起玫瑰的芳馥四溢的姣顏,
同掛在樹上,同樣會搔首弄姿,
當(dāng)夏天呼息使它的嫩蕊輕展:
但它們唯一的美德只在色相,
開時無人眷戀,萎謝也無人理;
寂寞地死去。香的玫瑰卻兩樣;
她那溫馨的死可以釀成香液:
你也如此,美麗而可愛的青春,
當(dāng)韶華雕謝,詩提取你的純精。