William Shakespeare - Playwright - Poem's and Sonnet's | Sonnet 57: Being Your Slave What Should I Do But Tend

An image of William Shakespeare and his inner Family Circle - A Playwright - A Poet, and An Actor

Sonnet 57:

Being Your Slave What Should I Do But Tend

Being your slave what should I do but tend

Upon the hours, and times of your desire?

I have no precious time at all to spend;

Nor services to do, till you require.

Nor dare I chide the world without end hour,

Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,

Nor think the bitterness of absence sour,

When you have bid your servant once adieu;

Nor dare I question with my jealous thought

Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,

But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought

Save, where you are, how happy you make those.

So true a fool is love, that in your will,

Though you do anything, he thinks no ill.

Sonnet 57: Translation to modern English

As your slave, what else should I do but spend my time waiting to do whatever you want me to? I don't have any valuable time to spend, or any tasks to do until you need that. Nor do I dare complain about the endless hours as I watch the clock, waiting for you, my sovereign, nor contemplate the bitterness of separation after you've said goodbye to your servant. Nor do I dare allow my jealous thoughts to wonder where you may be, or speculate about what you may be up to, but like a forlorn slave, I wait, thinking of nothing except how happy you're making whoever you are with. Love makes such a fool out of one that he thinks nothing about whatever you do to satisfy your ideas.

Modern English Translation from: No Sweat Shakespeare

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