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Modern English
Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum, Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. This very day a Syracusian merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; And not being able to buy out his life According to the statute of the town, Dies ere the weary sun set in the west. There is your money that I had to keep.
So, tell people you’re from Epidamnum, Or your goods will be confiscated too quickly. A merchant from Syracuse was just arrested For arriving here today; And since he couldn’t pay to buy his life back According to the town’s laws, He’ll be dead before the sun sets in the west. Here’s your money that I was holding.
Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee. Within this hour it will be dinner-time: Till that, I’ll view the manners of the town, Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings, And then return and sleep within mine inn, For with long travel I am stiff and weary. Get thee away.
Go take it to the Centaur, where we’re staying, And wait there, Dromio, until I get to you. It will be dinner-time in about an hour: Until then, I’ll check out the town’s customs, Look at the traders, admire the buildings, And then return and sleep in my inn, For I’m stiff and tired from the long journey. Go on now.
Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having so good a mean.
Many a man would take you at your word, And go for sure, with such a good reason.
A trusty villain, sir, that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, Lightens my humour with his merry jests. What, will you walk with me about the town, And then go to my inn and dine with me?
A reliable bad guy, sir, who very often, When I’m feeling down with worry and sadness, Lightens my mood with his funny jokes. So, will you walk with me around the town, And then come to my inn and have dinner with me?
I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, Of whom I hope to make much benefit; I crave your pardon. Soon at five o’clock, Please you, I’ll meet with you upon the mart And afterward consort you till bed-time: My present business calls me from you now.
I’ve been invited, sir, to some merchants, From whom I hope to make a good profit; Please excuse me. I’ll meet you soon, at five o’clock, If you don’t mind, at the market, And afterwards, I’ll hang out with you until bed-time: I have some business that requires my attention now.
Farewell till then: I will go lose myself And wander up and down to view the city.
Goodbye for now: I’ll go wander and get lost And roam around to see the city.
Sir, I commend you to your own content.
Sir, I wish you find what you’re looking for.
He that commends me to mine own content Commends me to the thing I cannot get. I to the world am like a drop of water That in the ocean seeks another drop, Who, falling there to find his fellow forth, Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself: So I, to find a mother and a brother, In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself.
The person who wishes me well is wishing me For something I can’t have. To the world, I am like a drop of water That in the ocean searches for another drop, Who, falling there to find his twin, unnoticed, Curious, gets confused: So I, in my search for a mother and brother, End up losing myself in the process.
Here comes the almanac of my true date. What now? how chance thou art return’d so soon?
Here comes the calendar of my real age. What now? How come you’re back so soon?
Return’d so soon! rather approach’d too late: The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit, The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell; My mistress made it one upon my cheek: She is so hot because the meat is cold; The meat is cold because you come not home; You come not home because you have no stomach; You have no stomach having broke your fast; But we that know what ’tis to fast and pray Are penitent for your default to-day.
Back so soon! More like arrived too late: The chicken’s burning, the pig fell off the spit, The clock just struck twelve: My mistress slapped me on the cheek at one: She’s upset because the meat’s cold; The meat is cold because you didn’t come home; You didn’t come home because you’re not hungry; You’re not hungry because you skipped breakfast; But we, who know what it’s like to fast and pray, Are sorry for your mistake today.
Stop in your wind, sir: tell me this, I pray: Where have you left the money that I gave you?
Hold on, stop talking for a second: tell me this, Where did you put the money I gave you?
O,--sixpence, that I had o’ Wednesday last To pay the saddler for my mistress’ crupper? The saddler had it, sir; I kept it not.
Oh,--sixpence, the one I had last Wednesday To pay the saddler for my mistress’ saddle? The saddler has it, sir; I didn’t keep it.
I am not in a sportive humour now: Tell me, and dally not, where is the money? We being strangers here, how darest thou trust So great a charge from thine own custody?
I’m not in the mood for joking now: Tell me, and don’t play games, where’s the money? We’re strangers here, so how dare you trust Such an important thing to your own care?
I pray you, air, as you sit at dinner: I from my mistress come to you in post; If I return, I shall be post indeed, For she will score your fault upon my pate. Methinks your maw, like mine, should be your clock, And strike you home without a messenger.
Please, sir, as you sit down to dinner: I come to you straight from my mistress; If I go back, I’ll really be a messenger, Because she’ll blame me for your mistake. I think your stomach, like mine, should be your clock, And it should tell you to go home without needing anyone else to say so.
Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season; Reserve them till a merrier hour than this. Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee?
Come on, Dromio, stop it, these jokes aren’t appropriate right now; Save them for a time when things are happier than this. Where is the money I asked you to take care of?
To me, sir? why, you gave no gold to me.
To me, sir? Why, you didn’t give me any money.
Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness, And tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge.
Come on, you scoundrel, stop your nonsense, And tell me what you did with the money I gave you.
My charge was but to fetch you from the mart Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner: My mistress and her sister stays for you.
My job was just to bring you back from the market To your house, the Phoenix, for dinner: My mistress and her sister are waiting for you.
In what safe place you have bestow’d my money, Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours That stands on tricks when I am undisposed: Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me?
In whatever safe place you’ve hidden my money, Or I’ll smash that silly head of yours That’s always playing tricks when I’m not in the mood: Where’s the thousand marks you got from me?
I have some marks of yours upon my pate, Some of my mistress’ marks upon my shoulders, But not a thousand marks between you both. If I should pay your worship those again, Perchance you will not bear them patiently.
I have some marks from you on my head, Some of my mistress’ marks on my shoulders, But not a thousand marks from you two. If I were to give you back those marks, You probably wouldn’t take it well.
Thy mistress’ marks? what mistress, slave, hast thou?
My mistress’ marks? What mistress, you slave?
Your worship’s wife, my mistress at the Phoenix; She that doth fast till you come home to dinner, And prays that you will hie you home to dinner.
Your wife, sir, my mistress at the Phoenix; The one who fasts until you come home for dinner, And prays that you hurry home to dinner.
What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave.
What, are you mocking me like this to my face, When you’ve been told not to? There, take that, you scoundrel.
What mean you, sir? for God’s sake, hold your hands! Nay, and you will not, sir, I’ll take my heels.
What are you doing, sir? For heaven’s sake, stop it! No? Well then, I’ll just leave.
Upon my life, by some device or other The villain is o’er-raught of all my money. They say this town is full of cozenage, As, nimble jugglers that deceive the eye, Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind, Soul-killing witches that deform the body, Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks, And many such-like liberties of sin: If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner. I’ll to the Centaur, to go seek this slave: I greatly fear my money is not safe.
I swear, by some trick or other, That scoundrel has taken all my money. They say this town is full of trickery, Like fast-moving magicians who fool the eye, Dark-working sorcerers who twist the mind, Soul-damaging witches who distort the body, Disguised frauds, talkative quacks, And many other sinful activities: If this is true, I’ll leave even sooner. I’ll go to the Centaur, and look for this servant: I’m really worried my money is not safe.