946When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced

947The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;

948When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed,

949And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;

950When I have seen the hungry ocean gain

951Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,

952And the firm soil win of the wat'ry main,

953Increasing store with loss, and loss with store;

954When I have seen such interchange of state,

955Or state itself confounded to decay,

956Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate

957That Time will come and take my love away.

958 This thought is as a death, which cannot choose

959 But weep to have that which it fears to lose.

961Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,

962But sad mortality o'ersways their power,

963How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,

964Whose action is no stronger than a flower?

965Oh, how shall summer's honey breath hold out

966Against the wrackful siege of batt'ring days

967When rocks impregnable are not so stout,

968Nor gates of steel so strong, but time decays?

969Oh, fearful meditation! Where, alack,

970Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?

971Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back,

972Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?

973 O, none, unless this miracle have might,

974 That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

976Tired with all these for restful death I cry:

977As to behold desert a beggar born,

978And needy nothing trimmed in jollity,

979And purest faith unhappily forsworn,

980And gilded honor shamefully misplaced,

981And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,

982And right perfection wrongfully disgraced,

983And strength by limping sway disabled,

984And art made tongue-tied by authority,

985And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,

986And simple truth miscalled simplicity,

987And captive good attending captain ill:

988 Tired with all these, from these would I be gone,

989 Save that to die I leave my love alone.