The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (454 page)

If I forgive him!

[Aside] He looks just like a gloating tax collector!

I hate him because he is a Christian.

But more so because he foolishly

Lends out money with no interest and brings down

The rate of interest for us here in Venice.

If I can just get him into an unfavorable position just once,

I will satisfy the old grudge I have against him.

He hates our sacred nation and he rants

In the places where the merchants gather

About me, and my deals and my well-earned profit

That he refers to as interest. Jews everywhere would be cursed

If I were to forgive him!

BASSANIO

Shylock, do you hear?

Shylock, did you hear me?

SHYLOCK

I am debating of my present store,

And, by the near guess of my memory,

I cannot instantly raise up the gross

Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?

Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

Will furnish me. But soft! how many months

Do you desire?

I am thinking about how much I have on hand,

And, if my memory serves me right,

I can’t instantly come up with the total

Of the full three thousand ducats. But so what?

Tubal, a wealthy jew I know

will give it to me. But wait! How many months

did you say you need it?

To ANTONIO

Rest you fair, good signior;

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

How are you, signior?

We were just talking about you.

ANTONIO

Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow

By taking nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a custom. Is he yet possess'd

How much ye would?

Shylock, although I generally never lend or borrow

By charging or paying interest,

In order to help supply my friend’s needs

I will do it this time. Does he know yet

how much it is you need?

SHYLOCK

Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Oh, yes, three thousand ducats.

ANTONIO

And for three months.

For three months.

SHYLOCK

I had forgot; three months; you told me so.

Well then, your bond; and let me see; but hear you;

Methought you said you neither lend nor borrow

Upon advantage.

I had forgotten—three months. You told me that.

Well, then, your loan. Well, let me see. But, listen,

I thought you said you never lend or borrow

with interest?

ANTONIO

I do never use it.

I don’t.

SHYLOCK

When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep--

This Jacob from our holy Abram was,

As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,

The third possessor; ay, he was the third—

When Jacob looked after his uncle Laban’s sheep—

Jacob, by the way, was Abram’s grandson,

And his mother had set it up to his advantage

That he would be heir to Abram, yes, third in line—

ANTONIO

And what of him? did he take interest?

What’s your point about him? Did he take interest?

SHYLOCK

No, not take interest, not, as you would say,

Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.

When Laban and himself were compromised

That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied

Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,

In the end of autumn turned to the rams,

And, when the work of generation was

Between these woolly breeders in the act,

The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,

And, in the doing of the deed of kind,

He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,

Who then conceiving did in eaning time

Fall parti-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.

This was a way to thrive, and he was blest:

And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

No, he did not take interest, not, as you would say,

Direct interest, anyway. Listen, here is what he did:

At the time Laban and Jacob agreed

That all the baby lambs that were multi-colored

Would be Jacob’s pay. The females were ready to breed

Since it was the end of autumn, and turning to the males.

While the sheep were in the act of breeding,

Jacob cut and peeled multi-colored pieces of wood

And while the sheep were mating

He stuck the wood pieces in the ground in front of the females

So that they would see them while conceiving

And then bear multi-colored babies, which went to Jacob.

This was a way to be successful and he was blessed.

Profit is a blessing as long as you don’t steal it.

ANTONIO

This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;

A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.

Was this inserted to make interest good?

Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

That was a business deal that Jacob worked for.

It was not in his power to make it happen,

It was influenced by the God’s will.

Are you telling this story to justify charging interest?

Are you comparing your gold and silver to breeding sheep?

SHYLOCK

I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:

But note me, signior.

I can’t tell the difference. It multiplies just as fast.

But listen to me, signior—

ANTONIO

Mark you this, Bassanio,

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

An evil soul producing holy witness

Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,

A goodly apple rotten at the heart:

O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

Pay attention to this, Bassanio,

The devil can cite Scripture to suit his purpose.

An evil person who brings out holy evidence

Is like a villain who smiles at you,

A seemingly good apple can be rotten at the core,

A seemingly honest appearance can hide lies!

SHYLOCK

Three thousand ducats; 'tis a good round sum.

Three months from twelve; then, let me see; the rate—

Three thousand ducats. That’s a good round amount.

Three months out of twelve, well, let me see. The rate—

ANTONIO

Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you?

Well, Shylock, will you lend us the money?

SHYLOCK

Signior Antonio, many a time and oft

In the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,

For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.

You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,

And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.

Well then, it now appears you need my help:

Go to, then; you come to me, and you say

'Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so;

You, that did void your rheum upon my beard

And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold: moneys is your suit

What should I say to you? Should I not say

'Hath a dog money? is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?' Or

Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,

With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this;

'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;

You spurn'd me such a day; another time

You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies

I'll lend you thus much moneys'?

Signior Antonio, you have often, many times,

Judged my behavior in the Rialto

Regarding how I use my money to earn interest.

I have taken all of this with great patience,

For suffering is just what Jews do.

You call me a heretic, a murderous dog,

And spit upon my Jewish cloak.

All because I’m doing what I want with what is mine.

And, well, now it seems you need my help.

All right, then. So, you come to me and you say

‘Shylock, we need some money.’ You ask me for it.

You, who spit on my beard

And kicked me just like you would kick a stray dog

Out the door. Here you are now asking for money.

So, should I bow to you and in a slave-like tone,

Holding my breath and whispering humbly, say

‘Oh, good sir, you spit on me last Wednesday

and scorned me another day and another time

called me a dog, and because of these gestures of respect

I’ll lend you as much money as you need?’

ANTONIO

I am as like to call thee so again,

To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.

If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

As to thy friends; for when did friendship take

A breed for barren metal of his friend?

But lend it rather to thine enemy,

Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face

Exact the penalty.

I’m likely to call you a dog again,

And to spit on you again, and to scorn you, too.

If you lend us the money, don’t lend it

Like you would to friends. For since when do friends

Expect the coins of his friend to reproduce for him?

Instead, lend it as if you were lending it to an enemy,

who—if he goes broke—you can more easily

punish.

SHYLOCK

Why, look you, how you storm!

I would be friends with you and have your love,

Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,

Supply your present wants and take no doit

Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me:

This is kind I offer.

Well, look at how upset you are getting!

I want to be friends with you and get along.

I can forget all of the shameful things you’ve done to me

And lend you the money without taking interest

For the use of it. But you’ll not hear

This kind offer I make.

BASSANIO

This were kindness.

It would be kind.

SHYLOCK

This kindness will I show.

Go with me to a notary, seal me there

Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,

If you repay me not on such a day,

In such a place, such sum or sums as are

Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit

Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

In what part of your body pleaseth me.

I can show this kindness.

Go with me to a notary and let’s seal