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Modern English
’They met me in the day of success: and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me ’Thane of Cawdor;’ by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with ’Hail, king that shalt be!’ This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.’ Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou’ldst have, great Glamis, That which cries ’Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undone.’ Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown’d withal.
’They met me on the day of success: and I have learned from the most reliable source that they know more than human beings can know. When I burned with desire to ask them more, they turned into air, and vanished. While I stood amazed by it, I received letters from the king, who greeted me as "Thane of Cawdor;" a title, which these weird sisters had given me earlier, and promised I would be king one day! I thought I should tell you, my dearest partner in greatness, so you wouldn’t miss the joy of knowing what greatness is promised to you. Keep it close to your heart, and goodbye.’ You are Glamis, you are Cawdor, and you will be What you were promised: but still, I fear your nature; You are too full of human kindness To take the shortest path to greatness: you want to be great; You have ambition, but not the ruthless edge it needs: what you want, you want with honor; You wouldn’t cheat, but you might take what you shouldn’t have. You want, great Glamis, What tells you "This is what you must do to get it; And what you fear to do, more than wish should remain undone." Come here, So I can whisper my plans into your ear; And spur you with the power of my words To overcome anything that stands in your way to the crown, Which fate and supernatural forces seem To have destined for you.
What is your tidings?
What’s the news?
The king comes here to-night.
The king is coming here tonight.
Thou’rt mad to say it: Is not thy master with him? who, were’t so, Would have inform’d for preparation.
You’re crazy to say that: Isn’t your master with him? If so, He would have told us to prepare.
So please you, it is true: our thane is coming: One of my fellows had the speed of him, Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message.
If it pleases you, it’s true: our thane is coming: One of my colleagues managed to catch up with him, But was almost out of breath, barely able to deliver the message.
Give him tending; He brings great news.
Take care of him; He brings great news.
The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature’s mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry ’Hold, hold!’
The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature’s mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry ’Hold, hold!’
Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant.
Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant.
My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night.
My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night.
And when goes hence?
And when goes hence?
To-morrow, as he purposes.
To-morrow, as he purposes.
O, never Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters. To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming Must be provided for: and you shall put This night’s great business into my dispatch; Which shall to all our nights and days to come Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.
O, never Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters. To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming Must be provided for: and you shall put This night’s great business into my dispatch; Which shall to all our nights and days to come Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.
We will speak further.
We will speak further.
Only look up clear; To alter favour ever is to fear: Leave all the rest to me.
Only look up clear; To alter favour ever is to fear: Leave all the rest to me.