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Sonnet 18
Shakespeare's Sonnets Translation Sonnet 19
Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws, And make the earth devour her own sweet brood; Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger’s jaws, And burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood; Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet’st, And do whate'er thou wilt, swift-footed time, To the wide world and all her fading sweets; But I forbid thee one most heinous crime: O carve not with thy hours my love’s fair brow, Nor draw no lines there with thine ántique pen. Him in thy course untainted do allow For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men. Yet do thy worst, old Time; despite thy wrong, My love shall in my verse ever live young.
Devouring time, soften the lion's claws,
And make the earth eat up her own sweet children;
Pull out the sharp teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,
And burn the long-living phoenix in her blood.
Make glad and sad seasons as you fly by,
And do whatever you wish, quick-footed time,
To the wide world and all of her perishing beautiful things;
But I forbid you one most hateful crime:
Please don't not carve wrinkles into my love's beautiful forehead,
Or draw any lines there with your old pen.
Allow him to remain uncorrupted in your domain
To be a model of beauty to all future men.
But do your worst, old time; despite your crime,
My lover will live on in my verse forever young.
