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 silver"d 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,

Born 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.

翻譯：

當我數著壁上報時的自鳴鐘，

見明媚的白晝墜入猙獰的夜，

當我凝望著紫羅蘭老了春容，

青絲的捲髮遍灑著皚皚白雪;

當我看見參天的樹枝葉盡脫，

它不久前曾廕庇喘息的牛羊;

夏天的青翠一束一束地就縛，

帶著堅挺的白鬚被舁上殮床;

於是我不禁為你的朱顏焦慮:

終有天你要加入時光的廢堆，

既然美和芳菲都把自己拋棄，

眼看著別人生長自己卻枯萎;

沒什麼抵擋得住時光的毒手 ，

除了生育，當他來要把你拘走。