Shakespeare's Sonnet 130: Translation

Author: William Shakespeare aka "The Bard"

Written: Between 1564 C.E and 1609 C.E.

Published by: Thomas Thorpe, 1609 C.E.

Poem in a nutshell: "You're a Plain Jane and I love you all the same."

Original Text

Modern Day Translation

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

My lover's eyes aren't as bright as the sun; And her lips aren't as red as coral; Her breasts are a brownish gray in comparison to pure white snow. If hairs are like wires, hers are black and not golden. Her cheeks are not as colorful as the red and white streaked damask roses; And my lover's breath stinks. I like when she speaks but, let's face it, music is more pleasing to the ear than her voice. I don't claim that my lover is a goddess--she's just a plain old regular mortal. And yet, for all the things that she is not, I find that the love I have for my woman is far more true than those lies found in ridiculous poetry.