Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger’s jaws,
And burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood;
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet’st,
And do whate’er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;
But I forbid thee one most heinous crime:
O, carve not with thy hours my love’s fair brow,
Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;
Him in thy course untainted do allow
For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men.
Yet do thy worst, old Time; despite thy wrong,
My love shall in my verse ever live young.
饕餮的时光,去磨钝雄狮的爪,
命大地吞噬自己宠爱的幼婴,
去猛虎的颚下把它利牙拔掉,
焚毁长寿的凤凰,灭绝它的种,
使季节在你飞逝时或悲或喜;
而且,捷足的时光,尽肆意地摧残
这大千世界和它易谢的芳菲;
只有这极恶大 罪我禁止你犯:
哦,别把岁月刻在我爱的额上,
或用古老的铁笔乱画下皱纹:
在你的飞逝里不要把它弄脏,
好留给后世永作美丽的典型。
但,尽管猖狂,老时光,凭你多狠,
我的爱在我诗里将万古长青。