Sonnet 16

ONE day as I unwarily did gaze

On those fayre eyes my loves immortall light:

The whiles my stonisht^[1] hart stood in amaze^[2],

Through sweet illusion^[3] of her lookes delight.

I mote^[4] perceive how, in her glauncing sight,

Legions of loves^[5] with little wings did fly:

Darting their deadly arrowes, fyry bright,

At every rash beholder passing by.

One of those archers closely^[6] I did spy,

Ayming his arrow at my very hart:

When suddenly, with twincle^[7] of her eie,

The damzell broke his misintended dart.

Had she not so doon, sure I had bene slayne,

Yet as it was, I hardly scap't with paine^[8].

[1] stonisht:使吃惊的，使惊讶的。

[2] amaze:使为难，使迷惑；使伤脑筋；使混乱。

[3] illusion:具有欺骗性的外表。

[4] mote:能，可以。

[5] loves:她的眼光中饱含“爱情小唱”。

[6] closely:隐蔽地，偷偷摸摸地。

[7] twincle:眯着眼看，贬眼。

[8] paine:几乎没有逃脱。