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Sonnet 66
Shakespeare's Sonnets Translation Sonnet 67
Ah, wherefore with infection should he live, And with his presence grace impiety, That sin by him advantage should achieve And lace itself with his society? Why should false painting imitate his cheek, And steal dead seeing of his living hue? Why should poor beauty indirectly seek Roses of shadow, since his rose is true? Why should he live, now nature bankrupt is, Beggared of blood to blush through lively veins? For she hath no exchequer now but his, And, proud of many, lives upon his gains. O him she stores, to show what wealth she had In days long since, before these last so bad.
Ah, why should he live with contamination,
And grace impiety itself with his presence,
That sin should use him to take advantage
And decorate itself with his company?
Why should others use makeup to imitate his face,
And make lifeless copies from his living color?
Why should poor beauty indirectly seek
Roses in the images of beauty, since his rose is true?
Why should he live now that nature is bankrupt,
Lacking the blood to blush through living veins?
She has no treasury now other than his,
And, admired by many, she lives on his profits.
Oh him she stores, to show what wealth she had,
A long time ago, before the bad new days.
