10

TELL me, ye merchants daughters did ye see

So fayre a creature in your towne before,

So sweet, so lovely, and so mild as she,

Adornd with beautyes grace and vertues store1,

Her goodly eyes lyke saphyres shining bright,

Her forehead yvory white,

Her cheekes lyke apples which the sun hath rudded2,

Her lips lyke cherryes charming men to byte,

Her brest like to a bowle of creame uncrudded3,

Her paps lyke lyllies budded,

Her snowie necke lyke to a marble towre4,

And all her body like a pallace fayre,

Ascending uppe, with many a stately stayre,

To honors seat and chastities sweet bowre5.

Why stand ye still, ye virgins, in amaze,

Upon her so to gaze,

Whiles ye forget your former lay to sing,

To which the woods did answer, and your eccho ring?

注释：1.store：财富。

2.rudded：变红。

3.uncrudded：液化。

4.towre：《所罗门之歌》第七章第四节中说“你的脖颈发仿佛一座象牙塔。”文艺复兴时期人们习惯把女性和建筑物或城镇进行比较。

5.bowre：到头部，那里主理智功能。