Those lines that I before have writ do lie,

Even those that said I could not love you dearer:

Yet then my judgment knew no reason why

My most full flame should afterwards burn clearer.

But reckoning time, whose million'd accidents

Creep in 'twixt vows and change decrees of kings,

Tan sacred beauty, blunt the sharp'st intents,

Divert strong minds to the course of altering things;

Alas, why, fearing of time's tyranny,

Might I not then say 'Now I love you best,'

When I was certain o'er incertainty,

Crowning the present, doubting of the rest?

Love is a babe; then might I not say so,

To give full growth to that which still doth grow?

我從前寫的那些詩全都撒謊，

連那些說"我愛你到極點"在內，

可是那時候我的確無法想象

白熱的火還發得出更大光輝。

只害怕時光的無數意外事故

鉆進密約間，勾銷帝王的意旨，

曬黑美色，并挫鈍鋒銳的企圖，

使倔強的心屈從事物的隆替：

唉，為什么，既怵于時光的專橫，

我不可說，"現在我愛你到極點，"

當我擺脫掉疑慮，充滿著信心，

覺得來日不可期，只掌握目前？

　　愛是嬰兒；難道我不可這樣講，

　　去促使在生長中的羽毛豐滿？