Shakespeare’s Sonnet #15: “When I consider everything that grows”
When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
Reading of Sonnet 15
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The images in the YouTube video are from an original 1609 edition of Shake-speares Sonnets held by the British Library. It is one of only thirteen copies in existence. Images courtesy of the Octavo Corporation.
Modernized Spelling and Punctuation
When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
Simplified Modern English Translation
When I consider everything that grows
reaches perfection only for a tiny moment,
that this huge stage of earth is nothing but a theater show
secretly observed and influenced by the heavens;
when I see that men are no different than plants, in that
they are both strengthened and weakened by the same heavenly powers:
gaining power during their youth, reaching a pinnacle, and then
slowly deteriorating as time wears on;
then the realization of our inconstant stay on this earth
sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
where Time and Decay are secretly planning your downfall,
to change your day of youth to sullied night;
but I am at war with Time for the love of you,
as he takes from you, my verse will engraft you new.
Text from Original 1609 Quarto
Transcription courtesy of University of Virginia Library:
When I consider euery thing that growes
Holds in perfection but a little moment.
That this huge stage presenteth nought but showes
Whereon the Stars in secret influence comment.
When I perceiue that men as plants increase,
Cheared and checkt euen by the selfe-same skie:
Vaunt in their youthfull sap, at height decrease,
And were their braue state out of memory.
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay,
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wastfull time debateth with decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
And all in war with Time for loue of you
As he takes from you, I ingraft you new.