O! how much more doth beauty beauteous seem
By that sweet ornament which truth doth give.
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odour, which doth in it live.
The canker blooms have full as deep a dye
As the perfumed tincture of the roses,
Hang on such thorns, and play as wantonly
When summer's breath their masked buds discloses:
But, for their virtue only is their show,
They live unwoo'd, and unrespected fade;
Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;
Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odours made:
And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,
When that shall vade, my verse distills your truth.
啊，有了真赋予的甜美的化妆，
美还会展示出多少更多的美。
艳丽玫瑰有了活在花朵中的芬芳，
在我们的心中会平添出多少妩媚。
野蔷薇同样在带刺的枝头悬垂，
一如玫瑰那样活泼地戏弄清风。
当夏的气息剥开戴面具的花蕾，
它也有芬芳玫瑰那浓浓的艳红。
但是，它们的姿色只宜一旁观赏，
活着没人追求，凋亡没人怜惜，
自生自灭；甜美的玫瑰却不一样，
甜美的死亡造出了最甜美的香气。
同样，美丽可爱的青年啊，当你姿色不存，
我笔下的诗歌却会提炼出你的真。