Original
Modern English
So smile the heavens upon this holy act That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.
May the heavens smile upon this holy act, so that nothing reprimand us afterwards with sorrow.
Amen, amen, but come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy That one short minute gives me in her sight.
Amen, amen, but come whatever sorrow comes, it cannot offset the exchange of joy that one short minute gives me in her presence.
Do thou but close our hands with holy words, Then love-devouring death do what he dare,
If you close our hands with holy words, then love-devouring death can do whatever it wants.
It is enough I may but call her mine.
It is enough if I can just call her mine.
These violent delights have violent ends,
These violent delights have violent ends.
And in their triumph die; like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume.
They die in their triumph; like gunpowder explodes when it touches fire.
The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, And in the taste confounds the appetite.
Even the sweetest honey is loathsome when you have had too much, and its taste destroys the appetite.
Therefore love moderately: long love doth so;
Therefore moderate love sustains long love.
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.
Too swift love is as bad as too slow.
Here comes the lady.
Here comes the lady.
O, so light a foot Will ne’er wear out the everlasting flint.
Oh, so light a foot, she will never endure the never ending rocky road of life.
A lover may bestride the gossamers That idles in the wanton summer air And yet not fall;
A lover may straddle the thin spider webs floating in the playful summer air and still not fall.
so light is vanity.
Thats how light is vanity.
Good even to my ghostly confessor.
Good evening to my ghostly confessor.
Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for us both.
Romeo will thank you, daughter, for both of us.
As much to him, else is his thanks too much.
As much thanks to him, else his thanks will be too much.
Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy Be heap’d like mine, and that thy skill be more To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath This neighbour air, and let rich music’s tongue Unfold the imagin’d happiness that both Receive in either by this dear encounter.
Ah, Juliet, if the measure of your joy is as great as mine, and you are more skilled at exhibiting it, then sweeten with your breath this neighbour air, and let your musical words unfold the unimagined happiness that both of us receive in this dear encounter.
Conceit more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament.
The reality is much better than any words, it brags of the substance, and do not need any embellishment.
They are but beggars that can count their worth;
They are beggars who can count their worth.
But my true love is grown to such excess, I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.
But my true love is grown to such excess, I cannot count even half of my wealth.
Come, come with me, and we will make short work,
Come, come with me, and we will do a quick ceremony.
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one.
For, with your permission, you can not stay alone until holy church incorporate you two into one.