Original
Modern English
Ay, those attires are best.
Yes, those attires are best.
But, gentle Nurse, I pray thee leave me to myself tonight;
But, gentle Nurse, I beg you, please leave me to myself tonight.
For I have need of many orisons To move the heavens to smile upon my state, Which, well thou know’st, is cross and full of sin.
I need to do many prayers to move the heavens to smile upon my state, which, well you know, is cross and full of sin.
What, are you busy, ho? Need you my help?
Are you busy, hey? Do you need my help?
No, madam; we have cull’d such necessaries As are behoveful for our state tomorrow.
No, madam; we have selected such clothes which are appropriate for the wedding tomorrow.
So please you, let me now be left alone, And let the nurse this night sit up with you,
So if you can please let me be left alone now and let the nurse stay up tonight with you.
For I am sure you have your hands full all In this so sudden business.
I am sure you have your hands all full in this sudden business.
Good night.
Good night.
Get thee to bed and rest, for thou hast need.
Get to your bed and rest, for you will need it.
Farewell. God knows when we shall meet again.
Goodbye! God knows when we will meet again.
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins That almost freezes up the heat of life.
I have a little cold fear thrills through my veins that almost freezes up the heat of life.
I’ll call them back again to comfort me.
I will call them back again to comfort me.
Nurse!
Nurse!
—What should she do here? My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
Oh! What will she do here? My pitiful state needs me to act alone.
Come, vial.
Come, vial. [She hold the vial]
What if this mixture do not work at all?
What if this mixture do not work at all?
Shall I be married then tomorrow morning?
Then, will I be married tomorrow morning?
No, No! This shall forbid it. Lie thou there.
No, No! This will forbid it.[She lays down the knife close to her] You lie there.
What if it be a poison, which the Friar Subtly hath minister’d to have me dead,
What if it is a poison, which the Friar has subtly ministered to have me dead.
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour’d, Because he married me before to Romeo?
Lest in this marriage he would be dishonoured because he married me earlier to Romeo?
I fear it is. And yet methinks it should not, For he hath still been tried a holy man.
I fear it is. And yet I think it is not so, for he has always been a holy man.
How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo Come to redeem me? There’s a fearful point!
But what if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake up before the time that Romeo comes to redeem me? That is a fearful point!
Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?
Will I not feel stifled in the tomb to whose foul mouth no fresh air breathes in, and I end up dying of strangulation before my Romeo comes?
Or, if I live, is it not very like, The horrible conceit of death and night, Together with the terror of the place,
Or if I live, it is very likely that the horrible notion of death and night together with the terror of the place will make me go crazy.
As in a vault, an ancient receptacle, Where for this many hundred years the bones Of all my buried ancestors are pack’d, Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth, Lies festering in his shroud;
A tomb is an ancient container where for many hundred years the bones of all my buried ancestors are packed, a place where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth, lies festering in his shroud.
where, as they say, At some hours in the night spirits resort—
Place where, as they say, at some hours in the night spirits resort.
Alack, alack, is it not like that I, So early waking, what with loathsome smells, And shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth, That living mortals, hearing them, run mad.
Oh no! Oh no! Is it not likely that I, waking up so early - what with the awful smells and cries like mandrakes ripped out of the earth, making living mortals run made after hearing them.
O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught, Environed with all these hideous fears,
Oh, if I wake up in there, will I not be distraught, surrounded with all these terrible fears?
And madly play with my forefathers’joints?
Will I go crazy and play with my forefathers’ joints?
And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud?
And pluck the spoiled Tybalt from his shroud?
And, in this rage, with some great kinsman’s bone, As with a club, dash out my desperate brains?
And, in this rage, will I use some great kinsman’s bone as a club and dash out my desperate brains?
O look, methinks I see my cousin’s ghost Seeking out Romeo that did spit his body Upon a rapier’s point.
Oh look, I think I see my cousin’s ghost searching out Romeo that did spit his body upon a dagger’s point just like a piece of meat.
Stay, Tybalt, stay!
Wait, Tybalt, stay!
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, here’s drink! I drink to thee.
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here is a drink! I will drink to you.