1036That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect,

1037For slander's mark was ever yet the fair;

1038The ornament of beauty is suspect,

1039A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air.

1040So thou be good, slander doth but approve

1041Thy worth the greater, being wooed of time;

1042For canker vice the sweetest buds doth love,

1043And thou present'st a pure unstainèd prime.

1044Thou hast passed by the ambush of young days,

1045Either not assailed, or victor, being charged;

1046Yet this thy praise cannot be so thy praise,

1047To tie up envy, evermore enlarged.

1048 If some suspect of ill masked not thy show,

1049 Then thou alone kingdoms of hearts shouldst owe.

1051No longer mourn for me when I am dead

1052Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell

1053Give warning to the world that I am fled

1054From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell.

1055Nay, if you read this line, remember not

1056The hand that writ it, for I love you so

1057That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot,

1058If thinking on me then should make you woe.

1059Oh, if, I say, you look upon this verse,

1060When I perhaps compounded am with clay,

1061Do not so much as my poor name rehearse,

1062But let your love even with my life decay,

1063 Lest the wise world should look into your moan,

1064 And mock you with me after I am gone.

1066O, lest the world should task you to recite

1067What merit lived in me that you should love,

1068After my death, dear love, forget me quite,

1069For you in me can nothing worthy prove--

1070Unless you would devise some virtuous lie

1071To do more for me than mine own desert,

1072And hang more praise upon deceasèd I

1073Than niggard truth would willingly impart.

1074O, lest your true love may seem false in this,

1075That you for love speak well of me untrue,

1076My name be buried where my body is,

1077And live no more to shame nor me, nor you.

1078 For I am shamed by that which I bring forth,

1079 And so should you, to love things nothing worth.