As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou growest

In one of thine, from that which thou departest;

And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest

Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest.

Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase:

Without this, folly, age and cold decay:

If all were minded so, the times should cease

And threescore year would make the world away.

Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,

Harsh featureless and rude, barrenly perish:

Look, whom she best endow'd she gave the more;

Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:

She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby

Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.

和你一樣快地消沉，你的兒子，
也將一樣快在世界生長起來；
你灌注給青春的這新鮮血液
仍將是你的，當青春把你拋開。
這里面活著智慧、美麗和昌盛；
沒有這，便是愚蠢、衰老和腐朽：
人人都這樣想，就要鐘停漏盡，
六十年便足使世界化為烏有。
讓那些人生來不配生育傳宗，
粗魯、丑陋和笨拙，無后地死去；
造化的至寵，她的饋贈也最豐，
該盡量愛惜她這慷慨的賜予：
她把你刻做她的印，意思是要
你多印幾份，并非要毀掉原稿。