Original
Modern English
To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn; And even that power which gave me first my oath Provokes me to this threefold perjury; Love bade me swear and Love bids me forswear. O sweet-suggesting Love, if thou hast sinned, Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it! At first I did adore a twinkling star, But now I worship a celestial sun. Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken, And he wants wit that wants resolved will To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better. Fie, fie, unreverend tongue! to call her bad, Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr’d With twenty thousand soul-confirming oaths. I cannot leave to love, and yet I do; But there I leave to love where I should love. Julia I lose and Valentine I lose: If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; If I lose them, thus find I by their loss For Valentine myself, for Julia Silvia. I to myself am dearer than a friend, For love is still most precious in itself; And Silvia--witness Heaven, that made her fair!-- Shows Julia but a swarthy Ethiope. I will forget that Julia is alive, Remembering that my love to her is dead; And Valentine I’ll hold an enemy, Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend. I cannot now prove constant to myself, Without some treachery used to Valentine. This night he meaneth with a corded ladder To climb celestial Silvia’s chamber-window, Myself in counsel, his competitor. Now presently I’ll give her father notice Of their disguising and pretended flight; Who, all enraged, will banish Valentine; For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter; But, Valentine being gone, I’ll quickly cross By some sly trick blunt Thurio’s dull proceeding. Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift, As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift!
If I leave my Julia, I’ll be breaking my word; If I love fair Silvia, I’ll be breaking my word; If I betray my friend, I’ll be breaking my word; And even that power which made me take the oath is pushing me toward this threefold betrayal; Love made me swear, and Love now tells me to break my oath. Oh, sweet-inspiring Love, if I’ve sinned, Teach me, your tempted servant, how to excuse it! At first, I adored a twinkling star, But now I worship a bright, shining sun. Foolish promises can be broken with care, And he’s a fool who lacks the will to learn how to trade bad choices for better ones. Shame, shame on you, disrespectful tongue! to call her bad, Whose greatness you’ve praised so many times with twenty thousand heartfelt oaths. I can’t stop loving her, but I do; But I stop loving her where I should love. I lose Julia and I lose Valentine: If I keep them, I must lose myself; If I lose them, I find that by their loss I gain Valentine for myself, and Silvia for Julia. I’m more important to myself than a friend, Because love is always the most precious thing; And Silvia—witness Heaven, who made her beautiful!— Makes Julia look like a dark-skinned Ethiopian. I will forget that Julia is alive, Remembering only that my love for her is dead; And Valentine I’ll treat as an enemy, Aiming for Silvia as a sweeter friend. I can’t now stay true to myself, without betraying Valentine. Tonight, he plans to use a rope ladder to climb into Silvia’s chamber window, while I, in secret, will be his rival. Right now, I’ll tell her father about their disguise and fake escape; Who, furious, will banish Valentine; For Thurio, he intends, will marry his daughter; But with Valentine gone, I’ll quickly spoil Thurio’s slow progress with some clever trick. Love, give me wings to make my plan fast, as you’ve given me the cunning to plot this scheme!