The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (538 page)

Of dumps so dull and heavy;

Of sorrows so dull and heavy;

The fraud of men was ever so,

The tricks of men have always been this way,

Since summer first was leavy.

Since summer first began.

Then sigh not so,

Then do not sigh that way,

But let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny,

And be happy and pretty,

Converting all your sounds of woe

Turning all your sad sounds

Into, ‘Hey nonny, nonny.’

Into glad cheers.

DON PEDRO

By my troth, a good song.

By the truth, a good song.

BALTHAZAR

And an ill singer, my lord.

And a bad singer, my lord.

DON PEDRO

Ha, no, no, faith; thou singest well enough for a shift.

Ha, no, no, by my faith; you sing well enough for the time being.

BENEDICK

[Aside.] An he had been a dog that should have howled thus, they would have hanged him; and I pray God his bad voice bode no mischief. I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come what plague could have come after it.

 
[Aside.] If he had been a dog that howled that way, they would have hanged him; and I pray God his bad voice means no bad luck. I would have been as willing to have heard the night-raven, whatever plague could have come after it.

DON PEDRO

Yea, marry; dost thou hear, Balthazar? I pray thee, get us some excellent music, for to-morrow night we would have it at the Lady Hero's chamber-window.

Yes, definitely; do you hear, Balthazar? Please, get us some excellent music, for tomorrow night we would like it at the Lady Hero’s bedroom window.

BALTHAZAR

The best I can, my lord.

DON PEDRO

Do so: farewell.

[Exeunt BALTHAZAR and Musicians.]

Come hither, Leonato: what was it you told me of to-day, that your niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?

Come here, Leonato: what was it that you told me about today, that your niece Beatrice was in love with Sir Benedick?

CLAUDIO

O! ay:-- [Aside to DON PEDRO] Stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits. I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

Oh yes! [Aside to DON PEDRO] Continue, continue; the bird is listening. I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

LEONATO

No, nor I neither; but most wonderful that she should so dote on Signior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviours seemed ever to abhor.

No, and I didn’t think so either; but it is strange that she should have a crush on Sir Benedick, whom she has always acted as though she hated.

BENEDICK

[Aside.] Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?

 
[Aside.] Is it possible? Is that the way the wind is blowing?

LEONATO

By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it but that she loves him with an enraged affection: it is past the infinite of thought.

Truthfully, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it except that she loves him with an enraged affection: it is past what I can fathom.

DON PEDRO

May be she doth but counterfeit.

Maybe she is faking it.

CLAUDIO

Faith, like enough.

By my faith, that is likely.

LEONATO

O God! counterfeit! There was never counterfeit of passion came so near the life of passion as she discovers it.

Oh God! Faking it! There was never pretence of passion that came so near the life of passion as she discovers it

DON PEDRO

Why, what effects of passion shows she?

CLAUDIO

[Aside.] Bait the hook well: this fish will bite.

LEONATO

What effects, my lord? She will sit you; [To Claudio.] You heard my daughter tell you how.

What effects, my lord? She will sit in this way – [To Claudio.] You hear my daughter tell you how.

CLAUDIO

She did, indeed.

DON PEDRO

How, how, I pray you? You amaze me: I would have thought her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection.

How, how, please tell me! You amaze me: I would have thought her spirit was invincible against any sort of romantic affection.

LEONATO

I would have sworn it had, my lord; especially against Benedick.

BENEDICK

[Aside] I should think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it: knavery cannot, sure, hide itself in such reverence.

 
[Aside] I would think this was a trick, except the white-bearded fellow speaks it: trickery cannot, surely, hide itself behind such a respectable face.

CLAUDIO

[Aside.] He hath ta'en the infection: hold it up.

 
[Aside.] He has taken the infection: keep going.

DON PEDRO

Hath she made her affection known to Benedick?

LEONATO

No; and swears she never will: that's her torment.

CLAUDIO

Tis true, indeed;so your daughter says: 'Shall I,' says she, 'that have so oft encountered him with scorn, write to him that I love him?'

It is true, indeed; your daughter says so. ‘Shall I,’ Beatrice says, ‘that has so often met him with scorn, write to him that I love him?’

LEONATO

This says she now when she is beginning to write to him; for she'll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper: my daughter tells us all.

She says this now when she is beginning to write to him; for she’ll be up twenty times a night, and there she will sit in her nightgown until she has written a sheet of paper: my daughter tells us all.

CLAUDIO

Now you talk of a sheet of paper, I remember a pretty jest your daughter told us of.

Now you talk of a sheet of paper, I remember a good joke your daughter told us about.

LEONATO

O! when she had writ it, and was reading it over, she found Benedick and Beatrice between the sheet?

Oh! When she had written it, and was reading it over, she found Benedick and Beatrice between the sheet?

CLAUDIO

That.

LEONATO

O! she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence; railed at herself, that she should be so immodest to write to one that she knew would flout her: 'I measure him,' says she, 'by my own spirit; for I should flout him, if he writ to me; yea, though I love him, I should.'

Oh! She tore the letter into a thousand pieces; scolded herself, that she should be so foolish to write to one she knew would reject her: ‘I measure him,’ she says, ‘by my own spirit; for I would reject him, if he wrote to me; yes, though I love him, I would.’

CLAUDIO

Then down upon her knees she falls, weeps, sobs, beats her heart, tears her hair, prays, curses; 'O sweet Benedick! God give me patience!'

Then she falls on her knees, cries, sobs, beats her chest, tears her hair, prays, curses; ‘Oh sweet Benedick! God give me patience!”

LEONATO

She doth indeed; my daughter says so; and the ecstasy hath so much overborne her, that my daughter is sometimes afeard she will do a desperate outrage to herself. It is very true.

She does indeed; my daughter says so; and the emotions have so much overcome her, that my daughter is sometimes afraid she will hurt herself. It is very true.

DON PEDRO

It were good that Benedick knew of it by some other, if she will not discover it.

It would be good if Benedick found out about it from someone else, if she will not reveal it.

CLAUDIO

To what end? he would make but a sport of it and torment the poor lady worse.

What good would that do? He would only turn it into a game and torment the poor lady worse.

DON PEDRO

An he should, it were an alms to hang him. She's an excellent sweet lady, and, out of all suspicion, she is virtuous.

If he did, it would be reason enough to hang him. She’s an excellent sweet lady, and, out of all suspicion, she is virtuous.

CLAUDIO

And she is exceeding wise.

And she is exceedingly wise.

DON PEDRO

In everything but in loving Benedick.

In everything but in loving Benedick.

LEONATO

O! my lord, wisdom and blood combating in so tender a body, we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the victory. I am sorry for her, as I have just cause, being her uncle and her guardian.

Oh, my lord, wisdom and blood in combat in such a delicate body, we have proof that blood is winning. I am sorry for her, as I have a good reason, being her uncle and her guardian.

DON PEDRO

I would she had bestowed this dotage on me; I would have daffed all other respects and made her half myself. I pray you, tell Benedick of it, and hear what a' will say.

I wish she had this affection for me; I would have declined all my other prospects and married her. Please, tell Benedick about it, and here what he will say.

LEONATO

Were it good, think you?

Do you think that would be a good idea?

CLAUDIO

Hero thinks surely she will die; for she says she will die if he love her not, and she will die ere she make her love known, and she will die if he woo her, rather than she will bate one breath of her accustomed crossness.

Hero thinks she will surely die; for she says she will die if he does not love her, and she will die before she reveals her love, and she will die if he woos her, rather than take back one breath of her usual crossness.

DON PEDRO

She doth well: if she should make tender of her love, 'tis very possible he'll scorn it; for the man,--as you know all,--hath a contemptible spirit.

That is right of her: if she let him know her love, it is very possible he would reject it; for the man, -- as you all know, -- has a very critical personality.

CLAUDIO

He is a very proper man.

DON PEDRO

He hath indeed a good outward happiness.

He does indeed seem very happy.

CLAUDIO

Fore God, and in my mind, very wise.

To God, and in my mind, very wise.

DON PEDRO

He doth indeed show some sparks that are like wit.

He does indeed show signs of intelligence.

CLAUDIO

And I take him to be valiant.

And I believe him to be brave.

DON PEDRO

As Hector, I assure you: and in the managing of quarrels you may say he is wise; for either he avoids them with great discretion, or undertakes them with a most Christian-like fear.

As Hector, I assure you: and when dealing with quarrels you may say he is wise; for either he discreetly avoids them, or goes about them with a Christian-like attitude.

LEONATO

If he do fear God, a' must necessarily keep peace: if he break the peace, he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling.

If he does obey God, he must necessarily keep peace: if he breaks the peace, he ought to enter into a quarrel fearfully.

DON PEDRO

And so will he do; for the man doth fear God, howsoever it seems not in him by some large jests he will make. Well, I am sorry for your niece. Shall we go seek Benedick and tell him of her love?

And so will he do; for the man does honor God, even if it doesn’t always seem that way because of his jokes. Well, I am sorry for your niece. Shall we go look for Benedick and tell him of her love?

CLAUDIO

Never tell him, my lord: let her wear it out with good counsel.

Never tell him, my lord: let her wear it out with good advice.

LEONATO

Nay, that's impossible: she may wear her heart out first.

No, that’s impossible: she may wear her heart out first.

DON PEDRO

Well, we will hear further of it by your daughter: let it cool the while. I love Benedick well, and I could wish he would modestly examine himself, to see how much he is unworthy so good a lady.

Well, we will hear more about it from your daughter: leave it be for now. I love Benedick well, and I wish he would humbly examine himself, to see how unworthy he is of so good a lady.

LEONATO