Original
Modern English
of thunder and lightning heard.
of thunder and lightning heard.
Boatswain!
Boatswain!
Here, master: what cheer?
Here, captain: what’s the news?
Good, speak to the mariners: fall to’t, yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.
Good, speak to the sailors: get to work, quickly, or we’ll run ourselves aground: hurry, hurry.
Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the master’s whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!
Hey, my friends! cheer up, cheer up, my friends! Steady, steady! Take in the topsail. Pay attention to the captain’s signal. Blow, until you’re out of breath, if there’s enough room!
Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master? Play the men.
Good boatswain, be careful. Where’s the captain? Act like men.
I pray now, keep below.
Please, stay below deck.
Where is the master, boatswain?
Where is the captain, boatswain?
Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.
Don’t you hear him? You’re messing up our work: stay in your cabins: you’re only making the storm worse.
Nay, good, be patient.
Come on, be patient.
When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not.
What does the sea care? Go below! What do these roars care about the title of king? Go to your cabins: silence! Don’t disturb us.
Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
Good, but remember who’s on board with you.
None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts! Out of our way, I say.
No one I love more than myself. You’re a counselor; if you can make the storm stop, and bring peace to the present, we won’t touch a rope again; use your authority: if you can’t, be thankful you’ve lived this long, and get ready in your cabin for whatever bad luck comes your way, if it happens. Stay strong, good people! Get out of our way, I say.
I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging: make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.
I find great comfort in this man: I think he has no sign of drowning; his look is perfect for the gallows. Stay strong, Fate, and let him hang: make his fate’s rope our ship’s anchor, because ours offers little help. If he’s not meant to be hanged, then we’re in a terrible situation.
Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course.
Lower the topmast! Quick! lower, lower! Bring her around to try with the main sail.
A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather or our office.
A curse on this yelling! They’re louder than the storm or our work.
Yet again! what do you here? Shall we give o’er and drown? Have you a mind to sink?
Again! What are you doing here? Shall we just give up and drown? Do you want us to sink?
A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!
Damn your throat, you shouting, blasphemous, uncharitable dog!
Work you then.
Then work yourself.
Hang, cur! hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.
Hang, dog! Hang, you bastard, insolent troublemaker! We’re less scared of drowning than you are.
I’ll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench.
I’ll bet he can drown; even if the ship were as weak as a nutshell and as leaky as an untreated wound.
Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses off to sea again; lay her off.
Secure her below deck, below deck! Set her course back out to sea; steer her away.
All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
We’re doomed! Pray, pray! We’re doomed!
What, must our mouths be cold?
What, are we going to freeze to death?
The king and prince at prayers! let’s assist them, For our case is as theirs.
The king and prince are praying! Let’s join them, Because our fate is the same as theirs.
I’m out of patience.
I’ve had enough of this!
We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards: This wide-chapp’d rascal--would thou mightst lie drowning The washing of ten tides!
We’re being killed by these drunken idiots: This big-mouthed fool—I wish he were drowning Under ten waves!
He’ll be hang’d yet, Though every drop of water swear against it And gape at widest to glut him.
He’ll still get hanged, Even if every drop of water swears otherwise And opens wide to swallow him whole.
Let’s all sink with the king.
Let’s all sink with the king.
Let’s take leave of him.
Let’s say goodbye to him.
Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown furze, any thing. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death.
I would give up a thousand miles of sea for Just an acre of barren land, some dry heath, brown bushes, anything. Let the higher powers decide! But I’d rather Die on dry land.