Sonnet 39

O, how thy worth with manners may I sing,
哦，我怎能不越禮地把你歌頌，
When thou art all the better part of me?
當我的最優美部分全屬於你？
What can mine own praise to mine own self bring?
讚美我自己對我自己有何用？
(And) what isn't but mine own when I praise thee?
讚美你豈不等於讚美我自己？
Even for this let us divided live,
就是為了這點我們也得要分手，
(And) our dear love lose name of single one,
使我們的愛名義上各自獨處，
That by this separation I may give，
以便我可以，在這樣分離之後，
(That) due to thee which thou deservest alone.
把你該獨得的讚美全部獻出。
O absence, what a torment wouldst thou prove,
別離呵，你會給我多大的痛創，
(Were) it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave，
倘若你辛酸的閒暇不批准我，
To entertain the time with thoughts of love,
拿出甜蜜的情思來款待時光，
Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive,
用甜言把時光和相思蒙混過----，
And that thou teachest how to make one twain,
如果你不教我怎樣化一為二，
(By) praising him here who doth hence remain!
使我在這裡讚美遠方的人兒。