Since brass¹, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless² sea,
But sad mortality o'er-sways their power,
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,
Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out
Against the wreckful siege of battering³ days,
When rocks impregnable are not so stout,
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation⁴! where, alack,
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
  O, none, unless this miracle have might,
  That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

既然铜、石、或大地、或无边的海，
没有不屈服于那阴惨的无常，
美，她的活力比一朵花还柔脆，
怎能和他那肃杀的严重抵抗？
哦，夏天温馨的呼息怎能支持
残暴的日子刻刻猛烈的轰炸，
当岩石，无论多么么险固，或钢扉，
无论多坚强，都要被时光熔化？
哦，骇人的思想！时光的珍饰，
唉，怎能够不被收进时光的宝箱？
什么劲手能挽他的捷足回来，
或者谁能禁止他把美丽夺抢？
　　哦，没有谁，除非这奇迹有力量：
　　我的爱在翰墨里永久放光芒。