Sonnet 17

THE glorious poutraict of that angels face,

Made to amaze weake mens confuséd skil:

And this worlds worthlesse glory to embase1,

What pen, what pencil, can expresse her fill2?

For though he colours could devize at will,

And eke his learnéd hand at pleasure guide:

Least3, trembling, it his workmanship should spill4,

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 pleasance5, 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.

注释：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。