The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (474 page)

Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

I am sorry you don’t have the time to join me.

Antonio, you should reward this gentleman.

In my mind, you are very much in debt to him.

Exeunt Duke and his train

BASSANIO

Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend

Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted

Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof,

Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,

We freely cope your courteous pains withal.

Sir, my friend and I

Have been aquitted today due to your wisdom

From serious penalties. We’d like to give you

The three thousand ducats that were due the Jew

As recompense for the pains you have taken on our behalf.

ANTONIO

And stand indebted, over and above,

In love and service to you evermore.

We would still be indebted to you,

And owe you love and service forever.

PORTIA

He is well paid that is well satisfied;

And I, delivering you, am satisfied

And therein do account myself well paid:

My mind was never yet more mercenary.

I pray you, know me when we meet again:

I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

He who does a good job is well paid,

And I, in freeing you, am sastified

And I consider myself well paid in that alone.

I wasn’t thinking about money.

I hope you recognize me when we meet again.

I wish you the best. I’m going to go, now.

BASSANIO

Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further:

Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute,

Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray you,

Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Sir, I must insist you

Take some token from us, as a gift,

Not as a payment. Please grant me two things:

Don’t say no, and forgive me for insisting.

PORTIA

You press me far, and therefore I will yield.

You insist so much, and so I will give in and accept.

To ANTONIO

Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your sake;

Give me your gloves. I will wear them for your sake.

To BASSANIO

And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you:

Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more;

And you in love shall not deny me this.

And from you, I’ll take this ring.

Don’t pull back your hand—I’ll have nothing else.

You can’t deny me this gift.

BASSANIO

This ring, good sir, alas, it is a trifle!

I will not shame myself to give you this.

But this ring, sir, it’s nothing!

I would be ashamed to give you this.

PORTIA

I will have nothing else but only this;

And now methinks I have a mind to it.

I will having nothing else but the ring.

Now that I think about it, I really want it.

BASSANIO

There's more depends on this than on the value.

The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,

And find it out by proclamation:

Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

This ring means more to me than its actual value.

I will give you the most expensive ring in Venice,

And put out a public announcement to find it.

But please forgive me for not giving you this ring.

PORTIA

I see, sir, you are liberal in offers

You taught me first to beg; and now methinks

You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd.

I see, sir, that you make big offers.

You taught me how to beg, and now it seems

You are teaching me how a beggar should be answered.

BASSANIO

Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife;

And when she put it on, she made me vow

That I should neither sell nor give nor lose it.

Sir, this ring was given to me by my wife,

And when she put it on my finger she made me promise

That I should never sell it or give it away or lose it.

PORTIA

That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts.

An if your wife be not a mad-woman,

And know how well I have deserved the ring,

She would not hold out enemy for ever,

For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

Many men use that excuse as a reason not to give things away.

If your wife is not a madwoman,

And you told her how much I did to deserve the ring,

She would not be mad at you forever

For giving it to me. Well, goodbye.

Exeunt Portia and Nerissa

ANTONIO

My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:

Let his deservings and my love withal

Be valued against your wife's commandment.

Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring.

Consider how much he deserves and my friendship

Against your wife’s order.

BASSANIO

Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him;

Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst,

Unto Antonio's house: away! make haste.

Go, Gratianio—run after him

Give him the ring and bring him, if you can,

To Antonio’s house. Hurry! Run after him!

Exit Gratiano

Come, you and I will thither presently;

And in the morning early will we both

Fly toward Belmont: come, Antonio.

Come on, you and I will go now,

And early tomorrow morning we will both

Hurry to get to Belmont. Come on, Antonio.

Exeunt

Enter PORTIA and NERISSA

PORTIA

Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed

And let him sign it: we'll away to-night

And be a day before our husbands home:

This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Ask where the Jew’s house is, then give him this deed

And have him sign it. We’ll leave tonight

And be home a day before our husbands.

Lorenzo will be happy to see this deed.

Enter GRATIANO

GRATIANO

Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en

My Lord Bassanio upon more advice

Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat

Your company at dinner.

Sir, it’s a good thing I caught up with you.

Bassanio took my advice

And has sent me after you with this ring. He requests

Your company at dinner tonight.

PORTIA

That cannot be:

His ring I do accept most thankfully:

And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,

I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.

We can’t do that.

I accept his ring with much gratitude,

So please tell him that. Also,

Can you show this young man to Shylock’s house?

GRATIANO

That will I do.

I will do that.

NERISSA

Sir, I would speak with you.

Sir, may I speak with you?

Aside to PORTIA

I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,

Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.

I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring,

Which I made him swear to keep forever.

PORTIA

[Aside to NERISSA] Thou mayst, I warrant.

We shall have old swearing

That they did give the rings away to men;

But we'll outface them, and outswear them too.

[Aside to NERISSA] I bet you will be able to.

They will swear to us

That they gave the rings to men,

But we will confront then and swear more than them.

Aloud

Away! make haste: thou knowist where I will tarry.

Go on! Hurry. You know where I will be.

NERISSA

Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?

Come, sir, will you show me to his house?

Exeunt

Enter LORENZO and JESSICA

LORENZO

The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees

And they did make no noise, in such a night

Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls

And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,

Where Cressid lay that night.