Sonnet 12                                               

When I do count the clock that tells the time,                       依钟数时光，

And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;                         日沉憎夜长。

When I behold the violet past prime,                                 紫罗兰鲜丧，

And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white;                        青卷丝如霜。

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves                              巨树蔽牛羊，

Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,                            如今叶枯黄。

And summer's green all girded up in sheaves                          夏绿束捆绑，

Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,                      灰须落殓床。

Then of thy beauty do I question make,                               朱颜我询望，

That thou among the wastes of time must go,                          终与时共亡。

Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake                      自弃美菲芳，

And die as fast as they see others grow;                             他人盛自殇。

And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence                     毒时无人躲，

Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence                      傲然若有果。

滴答时钟，辰光数算。

明媚白昼，狰狞夜陷。

紫罗兰花，尽失鲜艳。

犹如白霜，青发曲卷。

荫蔽牛羊，葱茏树冠。

如今枯萎，绿叶不见。

夏之翠色，捆绑枯干。

浓密白须，殓床瘫痪。

我颇忧虑，貌美朱颜。

岁月推移，终会消散。

美与芬芳，自弃自贱。

他人兴盛，自己长眠。

毒辣时光，无人抵挡。

若你生子，傲然虽丧。

时钟滴滴答答我数算光阴，

明媚白昼落入狰狞夜色沉。

紫罗兰花的鲜艳尽失无魂，

昔日曲卷的青丝已染成灰。

葱茏巨树曾是牛羊的蔽荫，

如今树枝干瘪绿叶全消损。

夏之油油翠绿已束绑打捆，

浓密白须在殓床等待出殡。

美貌朱颜颇令我忧虑费心，

时光蹉跎它们将韶华殆尽。

美丽自我抛弃还有那芳芬，

眼看他人鲜活自己却消泯。

时光毒刃没有人能够挡回，

你若有后代便可勇敢面对。

－by William Shakespeare (1564－1616)         东海仙子译