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Sonnet 19

Original Text

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-liv’d phoenix, in her blood;

Modern English

Go ahead, devouring Time — blunt the lion's claws, make the earth consume her own young; tear the sharp teeth from the tiger's savage jaw, burn the long-lived phoenix down in her own flames.

Original Text

Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets, 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:

Modern English

Make the seasons glad and sorrowful as you race past, do whatever you want, swift-footed Time, to this wide world and everything in it that will fade — but I forbid you one particular crime.

Original Text

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.

Modern English

Do not carve your hours into my love's smooth face, or draw a single line there with your ancient hand. Let him pass through your reign untouched, preserved as beauty's model for all men to come.

Original Text

Yet do thy worst, old Time; despite thy wrong, My love shall in my verse ever live young.

Modern English

Yet do your worst, old Time — in spite of everything you do, my love will live forever young in my verse.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Sonnet 19

Sonnet 19