The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1124 page)

If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,

Injurious distance should not stop my way;

For then despite of space I would be brought,

From limits far remote where thou dost stay.

No matter then although my foot did stand

Upon the farthest earth removed from thee;

For nimble thought can jump both sea and land

As soon as think the place where he would be.

But ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,

To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,

But that so much of earth and water wrought

I must attend time's leisure with my moan,

Receiving nought by elements so slow

But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.

If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,

Then the great distance to you would not stop me.

Then, despite the space between us, I would be brought

From where I am to the far place where you stay.

It would not matter that my foot rests

On the farthest land from you,

Because nimble thought could jump both sea and land

As soon as I thought of the place where you would be.

But, oh! The thought that I am not thought kills me!

And I am not able to leap large lengths of miles when you are gone.

There is so much earth and water placed between us.

I groan and tolerate the slow passing of time,

And receive nothing from elements that are sluggish,

Except heavy tears, which are proof of my great sadness.

The other two, slight air and purging fire,

Are both with thee, wherever I abide;

The first my thought, the other my desire,

These present-absent with swift motion slide.

For when these quicker elements are gone

In tender embassy of love to thee,

My life, being made of four, with two alone

Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy;

Until life's composition be recured

By those swift messengers return'd from thee,

Who even but now come back again, assured

Of thy fair health, recounting it to me:

This told, I joy; but then no longer glad,

I send them back again and straight grow sad.

The other two elements—light air and cleansing air—

Are both with you wherever I am.

Air represents my thoughts and fire represents my desire.

They move between present and absent with a swift motion glide.

When these quick elements are not with me,

They are sending a sweet message of love to you.

My life usually consists of four elements, and when left to only two

I sink almost to death with the weight of depression

Until the proper state of being is restored.

When those swift messengers have returned from you,

And come back again to assure me

Of your good health as they describe it to me,

I am happy to hear it, until I’m not happy again,

And then I send them right back to you and grow depressed.

Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war

How to divide the conquest of thy sight;

Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar,

My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.

My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie--

A closet never pierced with crystal eyes—

But the defendant doth that plea deny

And says in him thy fair appearance lies.

To 'cide this title is impanneled

A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart,

And by their verdict is determined

The clear eye's moiety and the dear heart's part:

As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part,

And my heart's right thy inward love of heart.

My eye and my heart are at war with one another

About how to divide the rights to your image.

My eye wants to block your image from my heart,

And my heart wants to block the eye’s right to your image.

My heart claims that that your image lies inside of him—

Inside a closet never viewed with glittering eyes—

But my eye plays the defendant and denies this,

Saying that only in him does your beautiful image lie.

To decide who gets the right a court has been assembled,

And my thoughts serve as jurors, although they are loyal to the heart.

They have determined a verdict regarding

The clear eye’s portion and the dear heart’s part:

So it is that my eye is due the appearance of you

And my heart has the right to what is within your heart.

Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,

And each doth good turns now unto the other:

When that mine eye is famish'd for a look,

Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,

With my love's picture then my eye doth feast

And to the painted banquet bids my heart;

Another time mine eye is my heart's guest

And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:

So, either by thy picture or my love,

Thyself away art resent still with me;

For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,

And I am still with them and they with thee;

Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight

Awakes my heart to heart's and eye's delight.

An agreement has been made between my eye and my heart,

And each now does the other favors.

When my eye is hungry for a look at you,

Or my heart sighs heavy, smothering sighs of love,

My eye then feasts upon your picture

And invites my heart to join in and gaze, as well.

Another time, my eye may be the heart’s guest,

And listen as he shares his thoughts of love for you.

So, either by your picture or by thoughts of love,

You are still present with me even when you are away.

You are never farther than my thoughts can move,

And I am always with them, and they are always with you.

Or, if they sleep, your picture is in my sight,

And it awakes both my heart and eye to delight.

How careful was I, when I took my way,

Each trifle under truest bars to thrust,

That to my use it might unused stay

From hands of falsehood, in sure wards of trust!

But thou, to whom my jewels trifles are,

Most worthy of comfort, now my greatest grief,

Thou, best of dearest and mine only care,

Art left the prey of every vulgar thief.

Thee have I not lock'd up in any chest,

Save where thou art not, though I feel thou art,

Within the gentle closure of my breast,

From whence at pleasure thou mayst come and part;

And even thence thou wilt be stol'n, I fear,

For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear.

How careful I used to be when I traveled

To keep every item I own under sturdy locks

So that it would remain with me when not in use

And not be stolen—they were such good locks!

But you, whom makes my greatest jewels seem like nothing,

And is most worthy of keeping safe, is now my greatest worry.

You are the dearest thing to me and all I care about,

And you are wide open to be taken by any common thief.

I have not locked you up in any chest

Except for where you aren’t, although I feel you are:

Within my own chest close to my heart,

Where, as you choose, you may come and go,

And even then you will be stolen, I fear, because

Honest men would become thieves to gain a prize like you.