by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any
 (Sung text for setting by D. Diamond)
 Matches original text
Language: English 
Our translations:  ITA
For shame! deny that thou bear'st love to any,
Who for thy self art so unprovident.
Grant, if thou wilt, thou art belov'd of many,
But that thou none lov'st is most evident:
For thou art so possess'd with murd'rous hate
That 'gainst thy self thou stick'st not to conspire,
Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate
Which to repair should be thy chief desire.
O! change thy thought, that I may change my mind!
Shall hate be fairer lodg'd than gentle love?
Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove:
  Make thee another self for love of me,
  That beauty still may live in thine or thee.

Composition:

    Set to music by David Leo Diamond (1915 - 2005), "For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any", 1964, published 1967 [ high voice and piano ], from We Two, no. 4, New York : Southern

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Researcher for this page: Barbara Miller

This text was added to the website: 2005-08-31
Line count: 14
Word count: 114