Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,
Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving:
O! but with mine compare thou thine own state,
And thou shalt find it merits not reproving;
Or, if it do, not from those lips of thine,
That have profan'd their scarlet ornaments
And seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine,
Robb'd others' beds' revenues of their rents.
Be it lawful I love thee, as thou lov'st those
Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee:
Root pity in thy heart, that when it grows,
Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.
If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,
By self-example mayst thou be denied!
爱是我的罪,厌恶是你的美德,
厌恶我的罪,生根在有罪的爱情上:
只要把你我的情况比一比,哦,
你就会发现,责难我可不大应当;
就算该,也不该出之于你的嘴唇,
因为它亵渎过自己鲜红的饰物,
跟对我一样,几次在假约上盖过印,
抢夺过别人床铺的租金收入。
我两眼恳求你,你两眼追求他们,
像你爱他们般,请承认我爱你合法:
要你的怜悯长大了也值得被怜悯,
你应当预先把怜悯在心里栽下。
假如你藏着它,还要向别人索取,
你就是以身作则,活该受冷遇!