As an unperfect actor on the stage

Who with his fear is put besides his part,

Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,

Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart.

So I, for fear of trust, forget to say

The perfect ceremony of love's rite,

And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,

O'ercharged with burden of mine own love's might.

O, let my books be then the eloquence

And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,

Who plead for love and look for recompense

More than that tongue that more hath more express'd.

O, learn to read what silent love hath writ:

To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.

仿佛舞臺上初次演出的戲子

慌亂中竟忘記了自己的角色，

又像被觸犯的野獸滿腔怒氣，

它那過猛的力量反使它膽怯；

同樣，缺乏著冷靜，我不覺忘掉

舉行愛情的儀節的彬彬盛典，

被我愛情的過度重量所壓倒，

在我自己的熱愛中一息奄奄。

哦，請讓我的詩篇做我的辯士，

替我把纏綿的衷曲默默訴說，

它為愛情申訴，并希求著賞賜，

多于那對你絮絮不休的狡舌：

請學會去讀緘默的愛的情書，

用眼睛來聽原屬于愛的妙術。