The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (438 page)

To be steady in any task. There is hardly
truth enough alive to make societies secure; but

Enough truth left to make societies safe; but
security enough to make fellowships accurst: much

Overconfidence enough to make trade partnerships doomed to fail: much
upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This

Thinking is done by the wise of the world on how to solve this problem. This
news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I

Is old news, but it is the same every day. I
pray you, sir, of what disposition was the duke?

Ask you sir, how is the duke’s character?

ESCALUS

One that, above all other strifes, contended

Above all other activities, he attempts
especially to know himself.

Especially to know himself well.

DUKE VINCENTIO

What pleasure was he given to?

What does he do to enjoy himself?

ESCALUS

Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at

He’d be happier seeing another joyful, rather than joyful at
any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a

Any thing that he said have him happiness: he’s a
gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to

Gentleman of great self-control. But let us leave him to
his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous;

His doings, with a prayer that they may turn out well;
and let me desire to know how you find Claudio

And I wish to know how well you think Claudio
prepared. I am made to understand that you have

Is prepared. I am told that you have
lent him visitation.

Visited him.

DUKE VINCENTIO

He professes to have received no sinister measure

He claims to have received no unfair treatment
from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself

From his judge, but quite willingly cooperative
to the determination of justice: yet had he framed

To the sentence of his punishment: but he had come
to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many

Up with, due to the encouragement of his human weakness, many
deceiving promises of life; which I by my good

False promises of life; which in time
leisure have discredited to him, and now is he

Showed him to be untrue, and now he is
resolved to die.

Ready to die.

ESCALUS

You have paid the heavens your function, and the

You have done your heavenly duty, and the
prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have

Prisoner is the one you did it for. I have
laboured for the poor gentleman to the extremest

worked for the poor gentleman to the limits
shore of my modesty: but my brother justice have I

of my abilities: but I have found my colleagues judgment
found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him

to be so hard, that he forced me to tell him
he is indeed Justice.

That he is Justice itself.

DUKE VINCENTIO

If his own life answer the straitness of his

If he leads his own life with the strictness of his
proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein if he

Judgments, it will do him well; but if he
chance to fail, he hath sentenced himself.

Happens to fail, he has already sentenced himself.

ESCALUS

I am going to visit the prisoner. Fare you well.

I am going to visit the prisoner. Good bye.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Peace be with you!

Peace be with you!

Exeunt ESCALUS and PROVOST

He who the sword of heaven will bear

He who bears the legal authoerity
Should be as holy as severe;

Should be not only harsh but virtuous as well;
Pattern in himself to know,

Setting the model himself,
Grace to stand, and virtue go;

Maintain himself honorably, and behave righteously
More nor less to others paying

Passing no harder judgments on others
Than by self-offences weighing.

That he would on himself.
Shame to him whose cruel striking

Shame on him, whose cruel blow
Kills for faults of his own liking!

Kills a man for something he too is guilty of!
Twice treble shame on Angelo,

Twice and three times shame on Angelo,
To weed my vice and let his grow!

To get rid of this sin and let another take it’s place!
O, what may man within him hide,

Oh, what a man may hide within himself,
Though angel on the outward side!

Though outwardly he appears to be an angel!
How may likeness made in crimes,

Look how such seeming virtuousness is based in crimes,
Making practise on the times,

Deceiving those around him,
To draw with idle spiders' strings

To catch with mere delicate strings
Most ponderous and substantial things!

Great and weighty seeming crimes!
Craft against vice I must apply:

I must use great skill against such wickedness:
With Angelo to-night shall lie

Tonight Angelo shall sleep with
His old betrothed but despised;

His scorned ex-fiance;
So disguise shall, by the disguised,

So trickery by the woman who is disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,

Will repay his unfair demands with a scam,
And perform an old contracting.

And bind their marriage contract.

Exit

Enter MARIANA and a Boy

Boy sings

Take, O, take those lips away,

Oh, take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;

That were so sweetly withdrawn;
And those eyes, the break of day,

And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn:

Lights that mislead the morning:
But my kisses bring again, bring again;

But my kisses bring again, bring again;
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.

Promises of love, but promised in vain, promised in vain.

MARIANA

Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away:

Quite singing, and hurry away:
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice

Here comes a man of guidance, whose adivce
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.

Has often helped with my hostile unhappiness.

Exit Boy

Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before

I cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish

I beg your pardon, sir; and wish
You had not found me here so musical:

That you had not found me here singing:
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,

Let me excuse myself, and believe me,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe.

It did not humor me, but instead made me regretful.

DUKE VINCENTIO

'Tis good; though music oft hath such a charm

It is good; though music often has such a charm
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.

To turn bad into good, and to make good cause harm.
I pray, you, tell me, hath any body inquired

Would you tell me, has anyone asked
for me here to-day? much upon this time have

For me here today?  Around this time,
I promised here to meet.

I promised to meet someone here.

MARIANA

You have not been inquired after:

You have not been asked for:
I have sat here all day.

I have sat here all day.

Enter ISABELLA

DUKE VINCENTIO

I do constantly believe you. The time is come even

I always believe you.  The time has come
now. I shall crave your forbearance a little: may

Now.  I shall ask you to have a little patience: maybe
be I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.

I will ask for you later, about something that will be to your advantage.

MARIANA

I am always bound to you.

I am always in your debt.

Exit

DUKE VINCENTIO

Very well met, and well come.

Well, hello and welcome
What is the news from this good deputy?

What do you have to tell me?

ISABELLA

He hath a garden circummured with brick,

He was a garden walled around with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd;

Whose western side is backed with a vineyard;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate,

With a planked gate leading into the vineyard,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:

That he can open with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door

And this other key opens a little door
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;

Which leads from the vineyard to the garden;
There have I made my promise

I have promised
Upon the heavy middle of the night

In the middle of the night
To call upon him.

To meet him there.

DUKE VINCENTIO

But shall you on your knowledge find this way?

But will you be able to find your way?

ISABELLA

I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't:

I have taken care and made note of the way:
With whispering and most guilty diligence,

In whispers and with guilty thoroughness,
In action all of precept, he did show me

With gestures, he did show me
The way twice o'er.