I grant thou wert not married to my Muse
我知你并非和我的诗神有过姻亲,
And therefore mayst without attaint o'erlook
因而你大可以披览别人的诗文,
The dedicated words which writers use
看他们如何为你舞文弄墨,
Of their fair subject, blessing every book
你不妨以赞许的恩威细斟漫评。
Thou art as fair in knowledge as in hue,
你两全其美,不管是外表还是学问,
Finding thy worth a limit past my praise,
知我这颓笔难为你的大德写真,
And therefore art enforced to seek anew
你因此不得不另请高明,
Some fresher stamp of the time-bettering days
好将你新时代的肖像来一番更新。
And do so, love; yet when they have devised
好吧,我的爱,就这样倒也成,
What strained touches rhetoric can lend,
让他们施朱着粉、辞藻用尽,
Thou truly fair wert truly sympathized
你那实在的美色只在我诗里留存,
In true plain words by thy true-telling friend;
尽管我辞彩淡,话儿却说得真真。
And their gross painting might be better used
他们的浓脂可使贫血脸生红晕,
Where cheeks need blood; in thee it is abused.
但对你的芳容却简直白费苦心。