Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend
Upon thyself thy beauty's legacy?
Nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend,
And being frank she lends to those are free.
Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse
The bounteous largess given thee to give?
Profitless usurer, why dost thou use
So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?
For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.
Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone,
What acceptable audit canst thou leave?
  Thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee,
  Which, used, lives th' executor to be.

俊俏的浪子，为什么把你那份
美的遗产在你自己身上耗尽？
造化的馈赠非赐予，她只出赁；
她慷慨，只赁给宽宏大量的人。
那么，美丽的鄙夫，为什么滥用
那交给你转交给别人的厚礼？
赔本的高利贷者，为什么浪用
那么一笔大款，还不能过日子？
因为你既然只和自己做买卖，
就等于欺骗你那妩媚的自我。
这样，你将拿什么账目去交代，
当造化唤你回到她怀里长卧？
　　你未用过的美将同你进坟墓；
　　用呢，就活着去执行你的遗嘱。