Original
Modern English
Things have fallen out, sir, so unluckily That we have had no time to move our daughter.
Things have fallen out, sir, so badly that we have had no time to speak with our daughter.
Look you, she lov’d her kinsman Tybalt dearly, And so did I.
Listen! she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly and so did I.
Well, we were born to die.
Well, we were born to die.
’Tis very late; she’ll not come down tonight.
It’s very late. she will not come down tonight.
I promise you, but for your company, I would have been abed an hour ago.
I promise you, if not for your company, I would have gone to bed an hour ago.
These times of woe afford no tune to woo.
These times of misery provide no time to love.
Madam, good night.
Madam, good night.
Commend me to your daughter.
Speak well of me to your daughter.
I will, and know her mind early tomorrow;
I will, and I will find out what’s on her mind early tomorrow.
Tonight she’s mew’d up to her heaviness.
Tonight she has locked up in her heaviness.
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child’s love.
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate present of my child’s love.
I think she will be rul’d In all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not.
I think she will do whatever I tell her to do; No, I am sure she will.
Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed,
Wife, go you to see her before you go to bed.
Acquaint her here of my son Paris’love,
Explain to her of my son Paris’ love.
And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next, But, soft, what day is this?
And tell her, listen to me, on next Wednesday, but, wait, - what day is today?
Monday, my lord.
Monday, my lord.
Monday! Ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon,
Monday! Ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon.
A Thursday let it be; a Thursday, tell her, She shall be married to this noble earl.
Let it be on Thursday; Thursday, tell her, she will be married to this noble earl.
Will you be ready? Do you like this haste?
[TO PARIS] Will you be ready? Do you like this rush?
We’ll keep no great ado,—a friend or two,
We’ll make no great fuss ,just a friend or two,
For, hark you, Tybalt being slain so late, It may be thought we held him carelessly, Being our kinsman, if we revel much.
Listen!, Tybalt was just killed and it may be thought that we did not care enough about our kinsman, if we celebrate too much.
Therefore we’ll have some half a dozen friends,
Therefore we’ll have some half a dozen friends, and no more.
And there an end. But what say you to Thursday?
So, what do you say to Thursday?
My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow.
My lord, I wish that Thursday were tomorrow.
Well, get you gone. A Thursday be it then.
Well, go home. A Thursday be it then.
Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed, Prepare her, wife, against this wedding day.
[TO LADY CAPULET] Go to Juliet before you go to bed. Prepare her, wife, for this wedding day.
Farewell, my lord.
[TO PARIS] Farewell, my lord!
—Light to my chamber, ho! Afore me,
[TO SERVANT] Lights to my chamber before me, listen!
it is so very very late that we May call it early by and by. Good night.
It is so late that we can call it morning before too long. Good night.