Original
Modern English
We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.
We’ll find a time, Audrey; be patient, gentle Audrey.
Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old gentleman’s saying.
Honestly, the priest was fine, despite what the old man said.
A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the forest lays claim to you.
A very wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a truly awful Martext. But, Audrey, there’s a young man here in the forest who’s claiming you.
Ay, I know who ’tis; he hath no interest in me in the world: here comes the man you mean.
Yes, I know who it is; he has no real interest in me at all: here comes the man you mean.
It is meat and drink to me to see a clown: by my troth, we that have good wits have much to answer for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold.
It’s a treat for me to see a fool: honestly, we who are clever have a lot to answer for; we’ll be mocked; we can’t help it.
Good even, Audrey.
Good evening, Audrey.
God ye good even, William.
Good evening, William.
And good even to you, sir.
And good evening to you, sir.
Good even, gentle friend. Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, prithee, be covered. How old are you, friend?
Good evening, kind friend. Cover your head, cover your head; no, please, cover it. How old are you, friend?
Five and twenty, sir.
Twenty-five, sir.
A ripe age. Is thy name William?
A good age. Is your name William?
William, sir.
Yes, William, sir.
A fair name. Wast born i’ the forest here?
That’s a nice name. Were you born in this forest?
Ay, sir, I thank God.
Yes, sir, I thank God.
’Thank God;’ a good answer. Art rich?
"Thank God;" that’s a good answer. Are you rich?
Faith, sir, so so.
Well, sir, so-so.
’So so’ is good, very good, very excellent good; and yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise?
"So-so" is good, very good, very excellent good; and yet it’s not; it’s just so-so. Are you wise?
Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.
Yes, sir, I have a bit of wit.
Why, thou sayest well. I do now remember a saying, ’The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.’ The heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a grape, would open his lips when he put it into his mouth; meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat and lips to open. You do love this maid?
Well said. I now remember a saying, "The fool thinks he’s wise, but the wise man knows he’s a fool." The old philosopher, when he wanted to eat a grape, would open his mouth when he put it in, meaning that grapes are for eating and lips are for opening. You love this girl?
I do, sir.
I do, sir.
Give me your hand. Art thou learned?
Give me your hand. Are you educated?
No, sir.
No, sir.
Then learn this of me: to have, is to have; for it is a figure in rhetoric that drink, being poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling the one doth empty the other; for all your writers do consent that ipse is he: now, you are not ipse, for I am he.
Then learn this from me: to have is to have; because it’s a figure of speech that when you pour drink from a cup into a glass, filling one empties the other; and all the writers agree that "ipse" means "he." Now, you are not "ipse," because I am he.
Which he, sir?
Which "he," sir?
He, sir, that must marry this woman. Therefore, you clown, abandon,--which is in the vulgar leave,--the society,--which in the boorish is company,--of this female,--which in the common is woman; which together is, abandon the society of this female, or, clown, thou perishest; or, to thy better understanding, diest; or, to wit I kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life into death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in poison with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I will bandy with thee in faction; I will o’errun thee with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways: therefore tremble and depart.
He, sir, who must marry this woman. So, you fool, leave—meaning "quit"—the company—meaning "the group"— of this woman—meaning "this girl;" which together means, leave this girl, or you’ll die; or, to put it another way, you’ll be dead; or, simply, I’ll kill you, get rid of you, turn your life into death, your freedom into chains: I’ll deal with you using poison, or a beating, or a sword; I’ll fight with you in a faction; I’ll overwhelm you with cleverness; I’ll kill you a hundred and fifty ways: so tremble and leave.
Do, good William.
Go ahead, good William.
God rest you merry, sir.
God bless you, sir.
Our master and mistress seeks you; come, away, away!
Our master and mistress are looking for you; come, hurry, hurry!
Trip, Audrey! trip, Audrey! I attend, I attend.
Hurry, Audrey! hurry, Audrey! I’m coming, I’m coming.