英文
CIII
Alack, what poverty my Muse brings forth,
That having such a scope to show her pride,
The argument, all bare, is of more worth
Than when it hath my added praise beside!
O, blame me not, if I no more can write!
Look in your glass, and there appears a face
That overgoes my blunt invention quite,
Dulling my lines and doing me disgrace.
Were it not sinful, then, striving to mend,
To mar the subject that before was well?
For to no other pass my verses tend
Than of your graces and your gifts to tell.
And more, much more, than in my verse can sit,
Your own glass shows you when you look in it.
中文
103
唉，我的缪斯本可大展才艺，
但她带来的礼物何其简朴！
天然的主题居然更有价值，
竟使我的赞美反成了蛇足。
如果我不再写诗，别责备我！
照照镜子吧，那里有一张脸
远胜过我写的笨拙的诗作，
使它很无趣，使我丢人现眼。
原本完美的，根本无须修饰，
执意去玷污，这岂不是犯罪！
我的诗本来没有其他目的，
只为颂扬你的天赋，你的美。
当你照镜，镜中所示最丰赡，
远非我写的诗句所能容涵。
