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Modern English
Sir Thurio, fear not but that she will love you, Now Valentine is banish’d from her sight.
Sir Thurio, don’t worry, she’ll love you, Now that Valentine is banished from her sight.
Since his exile she hath despised me most, Forsworn my company and rail’d at me, That I am desperate of obtaining her.
Since his exile, she has hated me most, Rejected my company and insulted me, So I’m hopeless about winning her over.
This weak impress of love is as a figure Trenched in ice, which with an hour’s heat Dissolves to water and doth lose his form. A little time will melt her frozen thoughts And worthless Valentine shall be forgot.
This weak show of love is like a drawing Carved in ice, which with an hour’s heat Melts into water and loses its shape. A little time will soften her frozen feelings And worthless Valentine will be forgotten.
How now, Sir Proteus! Is your countryman According to our proclamation gone?
Well, Sir Proteus! Has your countryman Left, as we announced in our proclamation?
Gone, my good lord.
Yes, my lord, he has left.
My daughter takes his going grievously.
My daughter is upset about his departure.
A little time, my lord, will kill that grief.
A little time, my lord, will ease her grief.
So I believe; but Thurio thinks not so. Proteus, the good conceit I hold of thee-- For thou hast shown some sign of good desert-- Makes me the better to confer with thee.
I believe so; but Thurio doesn’t think so. Proteus, the good opinion I have of you-- Because you’ve shown some sign of being a good person-- Makes me more willing to talk to you.
Longer than I prove loyal to your grace Let me not live to look upon your grace.
As long as I remain loyal to you, my lord, Let me not live to see you again.
Thou know’st how willingly I would effect The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter.
You know how much I want to make The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter work.
I do, my lord.
I do, my lord.
And also, I think, thou art not ignorant How she opposes her against my will
And also, I think you know How she opposes it against my will.
She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.
She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.
Ay, and perversely she persevers so. What might we do to make the girl forget The love of Valentine and love Sir Thurio?
Yes, and stubbornly she continues to do so. What can we do to make her forget Her love for Valentine and love Sir Thurio instead?
The best way is to slander Valentine With falsehood, cowardice and poor descent, Three things that women highly hold in hate.
The best way is to slander Valentine With lies, cowardice, and poor birth, Three things that women really dislike.
Ay, but she’ll think that it is spoke in hate.
Yes, but she’ll think it’s said out of hatred.
Ay, if his enemy deliver it: Therefore it must with circumstance be spoken By one whom she esteemeth as his friend.
Yes, if his enemy says it: So, it must be said carefully By someone she sees as his friend.
Then you must undertake to slander him.
Then you must agree to slander him.
And that, my lord, I shall be loath to do: ’Tis an ill office for a gentleman, Especially against his very friend.
And that, my lord, I would be reluctant to do: It’s a terrible thing for a gentleman, Especially against his very friend.
Where your good word cannot advantage him, Your slander never can endamage him; Therefore the office is indifferent, Being entreated to it by your friend.
Where your good word can’t help him, Your slander can’t harm him either; So, the task is neutral, Since it’s requested by your friend.
You have prevail’d, my lord; if I can do it By ought that I can speak in his dispraise, She shall not long continue love to him. But say this weed her love from Valentine, It follows not that she will love Sir Thurio.
You’ve convinced me, my lord; if I can do it By anything I can say to hurt his reputation, She won’t love him for much longer. But even if I succeed in turning her love away from Valentine, It doesn’t mean she’ll love Sir Thurio.
Therefore, as you unwind her love from him, Lest it should ravel and be good to none, You must provide to bottom it on me; Which must be done by praising me as much As you in worth dispraise Sir Valentine.
Therefore, as you pull her love away from him, Lest it should unravel and help no one, You must make sure it lands on me; Which must be done by praising me as much As you criticize Sir Valentine.
And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind, Because we know, on Valentine’s report, You are already Love’s firm votary And cannot soon revolt and change your mind. Upon this warrant shall you have access Where you with Silvia may confer at large; For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy, And, for your friend’s sake, will be glad of you; Where you may temper her by your persuasion To hate young Valentine and love my friend.
And, Proteus, we trust you in this matter, Because we know, from Valentine’s report, You are already firmly devoted to love And won’t easily change your mind. On this basis, you’ll have access To where you can talk to Silvia freely; For she is dull, heavy, and melancholy, And, for your friend’s sake, she’ll be glad to see you; Where you can persuade her To hate young Valentine and love my friend.
As much as I can do, I will effect: But you, Sir Thurio, are not sharp enough; You must lay lime to tangle her desires By wailful sonnets, whose composed rhymes Should be full-fraught with serviceable vows.
I’ll do as much as I can: But you, Sir Thurio, aren’t clever enough; You need to use tricks to confuse her desires With sad sonnets, whose rhymes Should be full of heartfelt promises.
Ay, Much is the force of heaven-bred poesy.
Yes, Poetry born from heaven has great power.
Say that upon the altar of her beauty You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart: Write till your ink be dry, and with your tears Moist it again, and frame some feeling line That may discover such integrity: For Orpheus’ lute was strung with poets’ sinews, Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones, Make tigers tame and huge leviathans Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands. After your dire-lamenting elegies, Visit by night your lady’s chamber-window With some sweet concert; to their instruments Tune a deploring dump: the night’s dead silence Will well become such sweet-complaining grievance. This, or else nothing, will inherit her.
Say that you sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart On the altar of her beauty: Write until your ink runs out, then wet it again with your tears, And write a moving line That shows your true feelings: For Orpheus’ lute was made from the muscles of poets, Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones, Make tigers tame and huge sea monsters Leave the deep waters to dance on the shore. After your mournful elegies, Visit her bedroom window at night With some sweet music; to their instruments Play a sad tune: the night’s silence Will suit such sweet, sorrowful complaints. This, or nothing, will win her heart.
This discipline shows thou hast been in love.
This shows you’ve been in love before.
And thy advice this night I’ll put in practise. Therefore, sweet Proteus, my direction-giver, Let us into the city presently To sort some gentlemen well skill’d in music. I have a sonnet that will serve the turn To give the onset to thy good advice.
I’ll follow your advice tonight. So, dear Proteus, my guide, Let’s go into the city right now To find some gentlemen skilled in music. I have a sonnet that will help us start To follow your good advice.
About it, gentlemen!
Go ahead, gentlemen!
We’ll wait upon your grace till after supper, And afterward determine our proceedings.
We’ll wait for you, Your Grace, until after supper, Then we’ll decide what to do next.
Even now about it! I will pardon you.
Do it right away! I’ll excuse you.