Шекспир. Сонет 131. Ты тиранична

Ты так же тиранична, как и те,
чья красота питает их жестокость.
Но для меня ты драгоценней всех,
и знаешь ты, как в сердце ты глубоко.
И если честно, кто-то говорит,
что от любви стенать ты не заставишь,
но все же ошибаются они,
хоть я один клянусь в этом пока что.
И чтоб ты доверяла клятве этой:
лицо твое - я сотни раз алкал,
лишь вздох один - брала чужая шейка,
Но черный цвет - в любви преобладал.
Ничто не чёрно, кроме чёрных дел,
Жить с клеветой - наш, видимо, удел.

SONNET 131
Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,
 As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;
 For well thou know'st to my dear doting heart
 Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.
 Yet, in good faith, some say that thee behold
 Thy face hath not the power to make love groan:
 To say they err, I dare not be so bold,
 Although I swear it to myself alone.
 And, to be sure that is not false I swear,
 A thousand groans, but thinking on thy face,
 One on another's neck, do witness bear
 Thy black is fairest in my judgment's place.
 In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,
 And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds.

NOTES

 CXXXI. The poet's mistress is as proud as though she were really beautiful. Others, indeed, decry her charms; but when they deny her beauty they must be looking at her conduct, which is indeed black. So far as the poet is concerned, the strength of his passion proclaims his estimate of her beauty.

 6. Thy face hath not the power to make love groan. The poet's "thousand groans" (line 10) afford an answer, though, according to ordinary standards of beauty, he could not say that they are wrong (line 7) who make the assertion.

 13. In nothing art thou black, save in thy deeds. Cf. cxlvii. 14, "Who art as black as hell, as dark as night;" and cxliv. 4, "The worser spirit a woman colour'd ill," &c.