The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (665 page)

Mute jewels by their silent nature
More than quick words do move a woman's mind.

Change a woman’s mind quicker than words.

DUKE

But she did scorn a present that I sent her.

But she belittled a present that I sent her.

VALENTINE

A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her.

A woman sometimes will belittle what makes her the most happy.
Send her another; never give her o'er;

Send her another gift; never give up on her;
For scorn at first makes after-love the more.

Since her initial contempt will make her later love all the greater.
If she do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,

If she frowns, it’s not because she hates you,
But rather to beget more love in you:

But rather to make you love her more:
If she do chide, 'tis not to have you gone;

If she scolds you, it’s not so that you will go away;
For why, the fools are mad, if left alone.

Because foolish women go crazy if they are left alone.
Take no repulse, whatever she doth say;

Don’t take any rejections, whatever she may say;
For 'get you gone,' she doth not mean 'away!'

For ‘go away,’ she doesn’t really mean ‘away!’
Flatter and praise, commend, extol their graces;

Flatter and praise her, admire, commend her virtues;
Though ne'er so black, say they have angels' faces.

No matter how unattractive tell her she has the face of an angel.
That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man,

I say that a man with words is no man at all
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.

If his words cannot win over a woman.

DUKE

But she I mean is promised by her friends

But her hand in marriage has been promised by her family
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth,

To a young gentlemen of importance,
And kept severely from resort of men,

And she is strictly kept away from visits from other men,
That no man hath access by day to her.

So that no man can see her during the day.

VALENTINE

Why, then, I would resort to her by night.

Well, then, I would visit her by night.

DUKE

Ay, but the doors be lock'd and keys kept safe,

Yes, but the doors are locked and the keys are kept safe,
That no man hath recourse to her by night.

So that no man has access to her at night.

VALENTINE

What lets but one may enter at her window?

What is to prevent someone form entering from her window?

DUKE

Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground,

Her bedroom is up high, far from the ground,
And built so shelving that one cannot climb it

And built with an overhang so that no one can climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life.

Without certainly endangering his life.

VALENTINE

Why then, a ladder quaintly made of cords,

Well then, a ladder skillfully made of rope,
To cast up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,

To toss up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would serve to scale another Hero's tower,

Would work to climb this tower that is like Hero’s tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it.

If you would be like Hero’s Leander, and risk climbing it.

DUKE

Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood,

Now, since you are a spirited gentleman
Advise me where I may have such a ladder.

Tell me where I may find a ladder like that.

VALENTINE

When would you use it? pray, sir, tell me that.

When would you use it? Please, tell me that, sir.

DUKE

This very night; for Love is like a child,

Tonight; because Love is like a child
That longs for every thing that he can come by.

That desires everything he can get.

VALENTINE

By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder.

By seven o’clock I can get you a ladder like that

DUKE

But, hark thee; I will go to her alone:

But, listen; I will be going to her alone:
How shall I best convey the ladder thither?

What is the best way to carry the ladder there?

VALENTINE

It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it

It won’t be heavy, my lord, so that you can carry it
Under a cloak that is of any length.

Under a clock if the cloak is a bit long.

DUKE

A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn?

A cloak as long as yours will work for that?

VALENTINE

Ay, my good lord.

Yes, my good lord.

DUKE

Then let me see thy cloak:

Then let me see your cloak:
I'll get me one of such another length.

I’ll get myself one of the same length.

VALENTINE

Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord.

Well, any cloak will work for the purpose, my lord.

DUKE

How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak?

How will I get myself used to to wearing a cloak?
I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.

Please, let me try on your cloak.

“[DUKE opens VALENTINE’s cloak and finds the rope ladder and a letter]”

What letter is this same? What's here? 'To Silvia'!

What is this letter here? What’s written here? ‘To  Silvia’!

And here an engine fit for my proceeding.

And here is the tool fit for my plan of action.
I'll be so bold to break the seal for once.

I’ll overstep my place and break the seal just this once.

Reads

'My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly,

‘My thoughts are all about Silvia every night,
And slaves they are to me that send them flying:

And they are like my slaves that I send flying off to her:
O, could their master come and go as lightly,

Oh, if only I, their master, could come and go as easily,
Himself would lodge where senseless they are lying!

I would stay there with her where my thoughts lie down being unaware!
My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them:

My thoughts are messengers that rest in your pure heart:
While I, their king, that hither them importune,

While I, their master, who urged them to go to you,
Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them,

Curse their success that they have been blessed with such an honor,
Because myself do want my servants' fortune:

Because I want my servant’s good fortune for myself:
I curse myself, for they are sent by me,

I curse myself, because they were sent by me,
That they should harbour where their lord would be.'

And they are able to rest where their master should be.’
What's here?

What’s this all about?
'Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee.'

‘Silvia, tonight I will set you free.’
'Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.

It’s true; and here’s the ladder to do it with.
Why, Phaeton,--for thou art Merops' son,--

Why, Phaeton—because I will call you that since you are like Merops’ son in myth—
Wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car

Do you also seek to drive the sun’s chariot
And with thy daring folly burn the world?

And because of your brave foolishness burn the whole world?
Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee?

Would you fly up to the stars just because they shine down on you?
Go, base intruder! overweening slave!

Go away, you dishonorable burglar! You arrogant scoundrel!
Bestow thy fawning smiles on equal mates,

Give your flirting smiles to women who are of your same social rank,
And think my patience, more than thy desert,

And consider my patience with you, which was more than you deserved,
Is privilege for thy departure hence:

To be a privilege for allowing you to simply leave here:
Thank me for this more than for all the favours

Thank me for this more than you thank me for all the other favors
Which all too much I have bestow'd on thee.

That I have give to you all too often.
But if thou linger in my territories

But if you stay in my lands
Longer than swiftest expedition

For longer than it takes for the quickest departure
Will give thee time to leave our royal court,

That still gives you enough time to leave my royal court,
By heaven! my wrath shall far exceed the love

By heaven! My wrath will by far surpass the love
I ever bore my daughter or thyself.

I ever had for my daughter or for you.
Be gone! I will not hear thy vain excuse;

Be gone! I won’t listen to your useless excuse;
But, as thou lovest thy life, make speed from hence.

Only, if you value your life, get away from here quickly.

Exit

VALENTINE

And why not death rather than living torment?

And why is death not better than living in torture?
To die is to be banish'd from myself;

To die means to be exiled from myself;
And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her

And Silvia is the same as myself: being exiled from her
Is self from self: a deadly banishment!

Is the same as being exiled from myself: a deadly exile!
What light is light, if Silvia be not seen?

What light is still light, if I can’t see Silvia?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by?

What joy is still joy, if Silvia is not nearby?
Unless it be to think that she is by

Unless it is just so that I think she is nearby
And feed upon the shadow of perfection.

And take pleasure in the illusion of her perfect presence.
Except I be by Silvia in the night,

Unless I am with Silvia at night,
There is no music in the nightingale;

There is no music in the nightingale’s song;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day,

Unless I look at Silvia during the day,
There is no day for me to look upon;

There isn’t a day that is really a day for me to see at all;
She is my essence, and I leave to be,

She is my very life, and I will stop existing,
If I be not by her fair influence

If her beautiful power doesn’t

Foster'd, illumined, cherish'd, kept alive.

Care for me, light me up, treasure me, and keep me alive.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom:

I am not escaping death by escaping the duke’s deadly sentence:
Tarry I here, I but attend on death:

If I stay here, I am only waiting for death:
But, fly I hence, I fly away from life.

But if I escape from here, I am escaping from life.

Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE

PROTEUS

Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out.

Run, boy, run, run, and find him.

LAUNCE

Soho, soho!

Tally-ho!

PROTEUS

What seest thou?

What do you see?

LAUNCE

Him we go to find: there's not a hair on's head

I see the man we’re trying to find: there’s not a hair on his head
but 'tis a Valentine.