by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou...
Language: English 
Our translations:  ITA
As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st
In one of thine, from that which thou departest;
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
Thou may'st call thine when thou from youth convertest.
Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase:
Without this, folly, age and cold decay:
If all were minded so, the times should cease
And threescore year would make the world away.
Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,
Harsh featureless and rude, barrenly perish:
Look, whom she best endow'd she gave the more;
Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:
  She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby
  Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.

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•   T. Loevendie 

T. Loevendie sets lines 1-4

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Researcher for this page: Jeroen Scholten

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 116