George Wither(1588—1667)

A Lover's Resolution

Shall I, wasting in despair,

Die because a woman's fair?

Or make pale my cheeks with care

'Cause another's rosy are? ^[1]

Be she fairer than the day,

Or the flowery meads in May,

　If she be not so to me,

　What care I how fair she be?

Should my heart be grieved or pined

'Cause I see a woman kind?

Or a well disposed nature

Joinèd with a lovely feature?

Be she meeker, kinder, than

Turtle-dove or pelican,^[2]

　If she be not so to me,

　What care I how kind she be?

Shall a woman's virtues move

Me to perish for her love?

Or her well-deserving known

Make me quite forget my own?

Be she with that goodness blessed

Which may gain her name of Best,

　If she be not such to me,

　What care I how good she be?

'Cause her fortune seems too high,

Shall I play the fool and die?

She that bears a noble mind,^[3]

If not outward helps she find.

Thinks what with them he would do

That without them dares her woo;

　And unless that mind I see,

　What care I how great she be?

Great, or good, or kind, or fair,

I will ne'er the more despair;

If she love me, this believe,

I will die ere she shall grieve;

If she slight me when I woo,

I can scorn and let her go;

　For if she be not for me,

　What care I for whom she be?

[1] 'Cause=because，省略音节为的是符合格律要求，与此相反的是下面的joinèd比joined增加一个音节。

[2] 据说塘鹅会在自己的胸部啄出血来哺育幼雏，所以被认为是有美德的禽类。

[3] 在有的版本中，这两行的文字为Those that bear a noble mind, /Where they want of riches find,