莎士比亚是英国文学史上最杰出的戏剧家,也是西方文艺史上最杰出的作家之一,全世界最卓越的文学家之一。他流传下来的作品包括37部戏剧、155首十四行诗、两首长叙事诗和其他诗歌。他的戏剧有各种主要语言的译本,且表演次数远远超过其他任何戏剧家的作品。
莎士比亚经典诗歌1:
Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault,
And I will comment upon that offence;
Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt,
Against thy reasons making no defence.
Thou canst not, love, disgrace me half so ill,
To set a form upon desired change,
As I'll myself disgrace: knowing thy will,
I will acquaintance strangle and look strange,
Be absent from thy walks, and in my tongue
Thy sweet beloved name no more shall dwell,
Lest I, too much profane, should do it wrong
And haply of our old acquaintance tell.
For thee against myself I'll vow debate,
For I must ne'er love him whom thou dost hate.
说你抛弃我是为了我的过失,
我立刻会对这冒犯加以阐说:
叫我做瘸子,我马上两脚都躄,
对你的理由绝不作任何反驳。
为了替你的反复无常找借口,
爱呵,凭你怎样侮辱我,总比不上
我侮辱自己来得厉害;既看透
你心肠,我就要绞杀交情,假装
路人避开你;你那可爱的名字,
那么香,将永不挂在我的舌头,
生怕我,太亵渎了,会把它委屈;
万一还会把我们的旧欢泄漏。
我为你将展尽辩才反对自己,
因为你所憎恶的,我绝不爱惜。
莎士比亚经典诗歌2:
But do thy worst to steal thyself away,
For term of life thou art assured mine,
And life no longer than thy love will stay,
For it depends upon that love of thine.
Then need I not to fear the worst of wrongs,
When in the least of them my life hath end.
I see a better state to me belongs
Than that which on thy humour doth depend;
Thou canst not vex me with inconstant mind,
Since that my life on thy revolt doth lie.
O, what a happy title do I find,
Happy to have thy love, happy to die!
But what's so blessed-fair that fears no blot?
Thou mayst be false, and yet I know it not.
但尽管你不顾一切偷偷溜走,
直到生命终点你还是属于我。
生命也不会比你的爱更长久,
因为生命只靠你的爱才能活。
因此,我就不用怕最大的灾害,
既然最小的已足置我于死地。
我瞥见一个对我更幸福的境界,
它不会随着你的爱憎而转移:
你的反复再也不能使我颓丧,
既然你一反脸我生命便完毕。
哦,我找到了多么幸福的保障:
幸福地享受你的爱,幸福地死去!
但人间哪有不怕玷污的美满?
你可以变心肠,同时对我隐瞒。