I have paraphrased. Could someone look at my "translations" and see if you agree with the accuracy. Also, I'm stuck on line #14.
Line #3 contains the word, "violet". What does this word (I'm assuming as a flower or a color) have to do with the Past Prime?



1. When I do count the clock that tells the time,
(When I look at the clock and realize the time)
2. And see the brave day sunk in the hideous night;
(And realize that it is night time)
3. When I behold the violet past prime,
(When I see that the my prime is past)
4. And sable(dark) curls all silvered o’er with white;
5. When lofty trees I see barren of leaves
(When the leaves have fallen from the trees)
6. Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,
(Which used to provide shade from summer’s heat)
7. And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves,
(the green grass now bailed)
8. Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,
(The landscape of summer is gone, like a coffin)
9. Then of thy beauty do I questions make
(I question my own beauty)
10. That thou among the wastes of time must go,
(I age like all of them)
11. Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake
(Beauty forsakes itself)
12. And die as they see other’s grow;
(The beauty in oneself dies when it see the youth of others)
13. And nothing ‘gainst Time’s scythe can make defense
(Nothing can stop time)
14. Save breed, to brave (defy) him when he takes thee hence.

Talia,

'thy' and 'thou' both mean 'you.' Shakespeare isn't talking about his own beauty, but that of the young man addressed in the first twenty-odd sonnets. (I'm thinking 24, but am too lazy to check. ) It's the same message in all of them- 'You're beautiful- you owe it to the world to breed.'

I agree with your interpretation except for the above.

9. Then of thy beauty do I questions make
(Pam's version- I question your beauty)
10. That thou among the wastes of time must go,
(Pam again- Since you too will age)

pam

[www.shakespeares-sonnets.com]

Thank you. You are right, Pam about the thou and thy. And when reading #1 the theme is consistent with this bachelor he speaks to.

Thanks for the site, Hugh. Now I understand violet as representing springtime that has past and #14 sums up the theory, that having children is the only way to defy age/death.

I would take the "summer's green" as more likely to be wheat, not grass. Wheat (usually just called corn in Britain) is bound into sheaves. Grass is tossed to dry it into hay, raked into windrows, then carted to storage in a loft or barn or to be built into a rick.

Don't they bail the hay up in Britain?

Actually they make silage instead. The other stuff is more pre-industrial, including Shake's time.

Hmm...the stuff you learn here!