Sonnet 17

THE glorious poutraict of that angels face,

Made to amaze weake mens confuséd skil:

And this worlds worthlesse glory to embase^[1],

What pen, what pencil, can expresse her fill^[2]?

For though he colours could devize at will,

And eke his learnéd hand at pleasure guide:

Least^[3], trembling, it his workmanship should spill^[4],

Yet many wondrous things there are beside.

The sweet eye-glaunces, that like arrowes glide,

The charming smiles, that rob sence from the hart:

The lovely pleasance^[5], and the lofty pride

Cannot expresséd be by any art.

A greater craftesmans hand thereto doth neede,

That can expresse the life of things indeed.

[1] embase:贬低。

[2] fill:充分地，完全地

[3] least:唯恐，免得

[4] spill:毁。

[5] pleasance:惬意愉悦。也指一座绿树成荫，供人散步或歇息的花园。