English poem
Sonnet 4: Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend
Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend Upon thy self thy beauty's legacy? Nature's bequest gives nothing, but doth lend, And being frank she lends to those are free: Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse The bounteous largess given thee to give? Profitless usurer, why dost thou use So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live? For having traffic with thy self alone, Thou of thy self thy sweet self dost deceive: Then how when nature calls thee to be gone, What acceptable audit canst thou leave? Thy unused beauty must be tombed with thee, Which, used, lives th' executor to be.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 46: Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
- Sonnet 47: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took
- Sonnet 48: How careful was I when I took my way
- Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come
- Sonnet 50: How heavy do I journey on the way
- Sonnet 51: Thus can my love excuse the slow offence
- Sonnet 52: So am I as the rich, whose blessed key
- Sonnet 53: What is your substance, whereof are you made