Sonnet 1 Sonnet 3 Sonnet 12 Sonnet 18 Sonnet 19 Sonnet 20 Sonnet 29 Sonnet 30 Sonnet 33 Sonnet 55 Sonnet 60 Sonnet 65 Sonnet 71 Sonnet 73 Sonnet 94 Sonnet 106 Sonnet 116 Sonnet 126 Sonnet 127 Sonnet 129 Sonnet 130 Sonnet 138 Sonnet 144 Sonnet 146 Sonnet 147

Sonnet 94

Original Text

They that have power to hurt, and will do none, That do not do the thing they most do show, Who, moving others, are themselves as stone, Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow;

Modern English

Those who have the power to hurt others and choose not to, who don't do the very thing their manner suggests they might, who move other people while remaining unmoved themselves — cold, still, slow to be tempted —

Original Text

They rightly do inherit heaven’s graces, And husband nature’s riches from expense; They are the lords and owners of their faces, Others, but stewards of their excellence.

Modern English

these people are the rightful heirs of heaven's gifts and guard nature's wealth from being spent recklessly. They are the lords and masters of their own expressions; everyone else merely tends what belongs to them.

Original Text

The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet, Though to itself, it only live and die, But if that flower with base infection meet, The basest weed outbraves his dignity:

Modern English

The summer's flower is sweet to summer, even if it lives and dies for no one but itself. But if that flower falls into corruption, the meanest weed outshines it in dignity.

Original Text

For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.

Modern English

For the sweetest things turn sourest by what they do — lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Sonnet 94

Sonnet 94