Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,

　　But sad mortality o'ersways their power,

　　How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,

　　Whose action is no stronger than a flower?

　　O! how shall summer's honey breath hold out,

　　Against the wrackful siege of battering days,

　　When rocks impregnable are not so stout,

　　Nor gates of steel so strong but Time decays?

　　O fearful meditation! where, alack,

　　Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?

　　Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?

　　Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?

　　O! none, unless this miracle have might,

　　That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

　　翻译：
　　既然连铜、石、土地和无边的海，

　　都悲屈于那死亡的，天道无常；

　　美的生机，比一朵花儿还柔弱，

　　又怎能，和天道的摧残相抵抗？

　　哦！夏天温馨的气氛怎能承受，

　　狂怒冰雹，那天天围攻的锋芒；

　　君不见，无论是顽石还是铁门，

　　都挡不住衰退，走向最终消亡？

　　哦，多么惊世骇俗的思想发现！

　　这精华是否，出自时光的宝藏？

　　谁能拽住时光之足，让它回头？

　　又有谁能禁止它，把美丽争抢？

　　哦！除了在我诗里有爱的闪光；

　　此以，再没谁有这奇迹和能量。

　　推荐理由：这首十四行情诗精选（六十五）是莎士比亚笔下的Sonnet65《消亡》，如果你是莎翁的忠实读者怎能错过呢？