シェイクスピア ソネット１２番

When I do count the clock that tells the time,

And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;

When I behold the violet past prime,

And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white;

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves,

Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,

And summer's green all girded up in sheaves,

Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,

Then of thy beauty do I question make,

That thou among the wastes of time must go,

Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake

And die as fast as they see others grow;

And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence

Save breed to brave him when he takes thee hence.

count = count the strokes of the clock

brave = beautiful, splendid

violet すみれ（春の象徴）、past prime 盛りを過ぎた

sable = black, dark brown (クロテンの毛皮の色より）、curl 巻き毛

lofty そびえ立つ、barren = bare 葉が落ちた

erst = once, formerly かつては

did canopy = served as a shelter for, gave shade to 樹冠をつくり

summer's green 夏に収穫された麦・大麦などの茎

girded up = tied tightly together きつく縛った

sheaves = sheaf（穀物の束）の複数形

Borne on = carried on、the bier = wagon, cart（棺台の意もあり）

white and bristly 収穫後に乾燥して色が薄くなり、ごわごわした

beard （麦の穂の）ひげの様な突起物

wastes of time = destruction caused by time 時がもたらす破滅・破壊

sweets and beauties = things that are sweet and beautiful

do themselves forsake = change, lose qualities, abandon themselves

others grow = other sweet and lovely things grow and take their place

scythe （柄の長い）大鎌、save = except、breed 子孫

brave = defy, challenge、hence あちらへ（死後の世界）

参考：The Sonnets (The New Cambridge Shakespeare) 他

シェイクスピア　ソネット１２番の朗読です。

Shakespeare's Sonnet 12 read by me.