Sonnet 17
Who will believe my verse in time to come,
在将来的日子谁会相信我的诗句,
If it were fill'd with your most high deserts?
即便它充满了你最高最美的壮举?
Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb,
虽然,天知道,它仅像是座坟墓
Which hides your life and shows not half your parts.
那里隐藏你的生命,连你全部的一半都未显露。
If I could write the beauty of your eyes,
如果我能书写你一双眼睛的美艳,
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
并用新鲜数字编列你所有的优点,
The age to come would say: "This poet lies,"
未来的日子将说:"这诗人在欺骗:”
Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.
这种天堂的触摸从未触碰地上的脸!
So should my papers yellow'd with their age,
于是我的诗册,将随着岁月而发黄,
Be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue,
像废话连篇的老人,被人鄙视淡忘;
And your true rights be term'd a poet's rage,
且你真实的存在被认作诗人的癫狂,
And stretched metre of an antique song:
并认作一支古老歌谣被拉伸如弹簧:
But were some child of yours alive that time,
但到那时你若有些后代仍活在世间,
You should live twice; in it and in my rhyme.
你当活两次:在他并我的诗韵里面。