Sonnet 68

MOST glorious Lord of lyfe, that on this day1

Didst make thy triumph over death and sin:

And having harrowd hell, didst bring away

Captivity thence captive2 us to win.

This joyous day, deare Lord, with joy begin,

And grant that we for whom thou didest dye,

Being with thy deare blood clene washt from sin,

May live forever in felicity:

And that thy love we weighing worthily,

May likewise love thee for the same againe:

And for thy sake that all lyke deare didst buy3,

With love may one another entertayne4.

So let us love, deare love, lyke as we ought5:

Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.

注释：1.this day：指复活节。1594年复活节是三月三十一日。

2.captive：《圣经》里说耶稣基督下地狱把那些值得救赎的灵魂拯救出来。

3.buy：高价赎回。

4.with love may one another entertayne：《约翰福音》第十三章第三十四和三十五节经文：“我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱；我怎样爱你们，你们也要怎样相爱。你们若有彼此相爱的心，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了。”《约翰福音》第十五章第十二节经文：“你们要彼此相爱，像我爱你们一样，这就是我的命令。”

5.ought：负有义务的。