英文
LXXIX
Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid,
My verse alone had all thy gentle grace;
But now my gracious numbers are decayed,
And my sick Muse doth give another place.
I grant, sweet love, thy lovely argument
Deserves the travail of a worthier pen;
Yet what of thee thy poet doth invent
He robs thee of and pays it thee again.
He lends thee virtue, and he stole that word
From thy behaviour; beauty doth he give,
And found it in thy cheek. He can afford
No praise to thee but what in thee doth live.
Then thank him not for that which he doth say,
Since what he owes thee thou thyself dost pay.
中文
79
先前，都是我单独向你求助，
我的诗因此独得你的恩惠；
但优雅的诗句如今已陈腐，
我的缪斯病倒了，只好让位；
我承认，你这个可爱的主题
值得更有文采的笔来描述，
但不管这诗人如何赞美你，
他都是掠夺你后奉还原物。
他向你出租德，这德就源于
你自己的品行；他送给你美，
美就在你脸上；没有你所赋，
他便不具备歌颂你的诗才。
既然他给的原是你的东西，
你就不必为此而表示谢意。
