Sonnet 101

O, truant Muse, what shall be thy amends

For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?

Both truth and beauty on my love depends；

So dost thou too, and therein dignified.

Make answer Muse, wilt thou not haply say，

‘Truth needs no colour, with his colour fxed；

Beauty no pencil, beauty's truth to lay；

But best is best, if never intermixed'?

Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?

Excuse not silence so, for't lies in thee

To make him much outlive a gilded tomb

And to be praised of ages yet to be.

Then do thy office, Muse；I teach thee how

To make him seem, long hence, as he shows now.

一〇一

偷懒的诗神呵，你将怎样补救

你对那被美渲染的真的怠慢？

真和美都与我的爱相依相守；

你也一样，要倚靠它才得通显。

说吧，诗神。你或许会这样回答：

“真的固定色彩不必用色彩绘；

美也不用翰墨把美的真容画；

用不着搀杂，完美永远是完美。”

难道他不需要赞美，你就不作声？

别替缄默辩护，因为你有力量

使他比镀金的坟墓更享遐龄，

并在未来的年代永受人赞扬。

当仁不让吧，诗神，我要教你怎样

使他今后和现在一样受景仰。