← The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare — Page 5

English → Fr THE SONNETS Level 9/10

Ah, if thou issueless shalt hap to die,

Ah, si tu devais mourir sans descendance,

The world will wail thee like a makeless wife,

Le monde te pleurera comme une épouse sans mari,

The world will be thy widow and still weep,

Le monde sera ta veuve et pleurera sans cesse,

That thou no form of thee hast left behind,

Car tu n'auras laissé derrière toi nulle image de toi-même,

When every private widow well may keep,

Alors que toute veuve ordinaire peut bien conserver,

By children's eyes, her husband's shape in mind:

Par les yeux de ses enfants, la forme de son époux en mémoire :

Look what an unthrift in the world doth spend

Vois ce que le prodigue dépense dans le monde :

Shifts but his place, for still the world enjoys it;

Cela ne fait que changer de place, car le monde en jouit encore ;

But beauty's waste hath in the world an end,

Mais le gaspillage de la beauté trouve dans le monde une fin,

And kept unused the user so destroys it:

Et, tenue inutilisée, elle détruit ainsi celui qui la possède :

No love toward others in that bosom sits

Nul amour envers autrui ne réside en ce cœur

That on himself such murd'rous shame commits.

Qui contre lui-même commet une si meurtrière honte.

For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any

Pour ta honte, nie que tu portes amour à quiconque,

Who for thyself art so unprovident.

Toi qui es si peu prévoyant envers toi-même.

Grant if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,

Accorde-le si tu veux, tu es aimé de beaucoup,

But that thou none lov'st is most evident:

Mais que tu n'en aimes aucun est des plus évidents :

For thou art so possessed with murd'rous hate,

Car tu es si possédé d'une haine meurtrière,

That 'gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire,

Que tu n'hésites pas à conspirer contre toi-même,

Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate

Cherchant à ruiner ce beau toit

Which to repair should be thy chief desire:

Que réparer devrait être ton plus ardent désir :

O change thy thought, that I may change my mind,

Ô, change ta pensée, afin que je puisse changer d'avis,

Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?

La haine sera-t-elle mieux logée que le doux amour ?

Be as thy presence is gracious and kind,

Sois tel que ta présence est gracieuse et bienveillante,

Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove,

Ou du moins montre-toi bienveillant envers toi-même,

Make thee another self for love of me,

Fais de toi un autre toi-même par amour pour moi,

That beauty still may live in thine or thee.

Afin que la beauté puisse encore vivre dans les tiens ou en toi.

Vocabulary

si: si — If; also used to contradict a negative statement.
tu: ty — Second person singular informal pronoun meaning 'you'.
devais: dəvɛ — Past imperfect of 'devoir'; were supposed to, had to.
mourir: muʁiʁ — To die; to cease living.
sans: sɑ̃ — Preposition meaning without; lacking something.
descendance: desɑ̃dɑ̃s — Offspring, descendants; lineage continuing after one's death.
monde: mɔ̃d — The world; all people; society at large.
te: tə — Second person singular object pronoun meaning 'you' or 'yourself'.
pleurera: pløʁəʁa — Future tense of 'pleurer'; will cry, will weep.
comme: kɔm — Conjunction or preposition meaning 'as' or 'like'.
épouse: epuz — Wife; a married woman in relation to her husband.
mari: maʁi — Husband; a married man in relation to his wife.
sera: səʁa — Future tense of 'être'; will be.
ta: ta — Possessive adjective 'your' for feminine singular nouns.
veuve: vœv — Widow; a woman whose husband has died.
cesse: sɛs — From 'cesser'; stops, ceases an action.
Car: kaʁ — Conjunction meaning 'for' or 'because'; gives a reason.
auras: oʁa — Future tense of 'avoir'; will have.
laissé: lɛse — Past participle of 'laisser'; left behind, abandoned.
derrière: dɛʁjɛʁ — Preposition meaning behind, after, or at the back.
toi: twa — Stressed second person singular pronoun meaning 'you'.
nulle: nyl — Adjective meaning no, none, not any; feminine form.
image: imaʒ — Image, picture, or likeness of a person or thing.
même: mɛm — Adjective or adverb meaning 'same' or 'even'.
Alors: alɔʁ — Adverb meaning 'then', 'so', or 'at that time'.
que: kə — Conjunction meaning 'that', 'than', or 'what'.
toute: tut — Feminine form of 'tout'; every, all, any woman.
ordinaire: ɔʁdinɛʁ — Ordinary, common, usual; not special or remarkable.
peut: pø — Third person singular of 'pouvoir'; can, is able to.
bien: bjɛ̃ — Adverb meaning well, very, quite; also a noun for good.
conserver: kɔ̃sɛʁve — To preserve, keep, or maintain something over time.
Par: paʁ — Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
yeux: jø — Eyes; the plural of 'œil', organs of sight.
ses: se — Possessive adjective 'his', 'her', 'its' for plural nouns.
enfants: ɑ̃fɑ̃ — Children; young people or one's offspring.
forme: fɔʁm — Form, shape, appearance of a person or object.
son: sɔ̃ — Possessive adjective 'his', 'her', 'its' for masculine nouns.
époux: epu — Husband; spouse; a married man or couple collectively.
en: ɑ̃ — Preposition meaning 'in', 'on', 'by'; also a pronoun.
mémoire: memwaʁ — Memory; the faculty of recalling past experiences.
Vois: vwa — Imperative of 'voir'; look, see; pay attention to this.
ce: sə — Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'.
prodigue: pʁɔdiɡ — Prodigal, wasteful; one who spends resources extravagantly.
dépense: depɑ̃s — Spends; also a noun meaning expense or expenditure.
dans: dɑ̃ — Preposition meaning 'in', 'inside', or 'within'.
Cela: səla — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that', referring to something.
ne: nə — Negative particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs.
fait: fɛ — From 'faire'; makes, does; also means 'fact'.
changer: ʃɑ̃ʒe — To change, alter, or transform something or someone.
place: plas — Place, position, spot; also a public square.
car: kaʁ — Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for'; introduces reason.
jouit: ʒwi — Third person of 'jouir'; enjoys, takes pleasure in something.
encore: ɑ̃kɔʁ — Still, yet, again; continuing or repeating an action.
Mais: mɛ — Conjunction meaning 'but'; introduces a contrast or exception.
gaspillage: ɡaspijɑʒ — Waste, squandering; careless use of resources or beauty.
beauté: bote — Beauty; the quality of being visually or aesthetically pleasing.
trouve: tʁuv — Finds; third person singular of 'trouver'.
fin: fɛ̃ — End, conclusion; termination of something.
tenue: təny — Kept, held; also means outfit or bearing/conduct.
inutilisée: inytilize — Unused, not put to use; left without purpose.
elle: ɛl — Third person singular feminine pronoun meaning 'she' or 'it'.
détruit: detʁɥi — Destroys; third person singular of 'détruire'.
ainsi: ɛ̃si — Thus, so, in this way; indicates a consequence.
celui: səlɥi — Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'the one' (masculine).
qui: ki — Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'.
possède: pɔsɛd — Possesses, owns; has something as one's own.
Nul: nyl — No, none; adjective meaning no one or not any.
amour: amuʁ — Love; deep affection or romantic feeling toward someone.
envers: ɑ̃vɛʁ — Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'with respect to' someone.
autrui: otʁɥi — Others, other people; formal pronoun for other persons.
réside: ʁezid — Resides, dwells; is located or lives in a place.
cœur: kœʁ — Heart; organ of feeling, emotion, or affection.
Qui: ki — Who; relative or interrogative pronoun referring to a person.
contre: kɔ̃tʁ — Preposition meaning 'against'; in opposition to something.
lui: lɥi — Stressed pronoun 'him' or 'her'; also indirect object.
commet: kɔmɛ — Commits; third person of 'commettre'; performs a wrong act.
meurtrière: mœʁtʁijɛʁ — Murderous, deadly; feminine form of 'meurtrier'.
honte: ɔ̃t — Shame; feeling of disgrace or dishonor.
Pour: puʁ — Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to', or 'because of'.
nie: ni — Denies; third person of 'nier'; refuses to acknowledge.
portes: pɔʁt — Doors, gates; entrances to buildings or places.
quiconque: kikɔ̃k — Whoever, anyone who; refers to any person at all.
Toi: twa — Stressed second person pronoun 'you'; used for emphasis.
es: ɛ — Second person singular of 'être'; you are.
peu: pø — A little, few; indicates small quantity or degree.
prévoyant: pʁevwajɑ̃ — Foresighted, prudent; planning wisely for future needs.
Accorde: akɔʁd — Grant, give, accord; imperative or third person of 'accorder'.
veux: vø — Want; first or second person of 'vouloir'.
aimé: eme — Loved, beloved; past participle of 'aimer'.
beaucoup: boku — Much, many, a lot; indicates large quantity or degree.
aimes: ɛm — Love, like; second person singular of 'aimer'.
aucun: okœ̃ — No, none, not any; negative adjective or pronoun.
plus: ply — More; comparative adverb; also used in negation.
évidents: evidɑ̃ — Obvious, evident, clear; plural masculine adjective.
possédé: pɔsede — Possessed, owned; past participle of 'posséder'.
haine: ɛn — Hatred, hate; strong feeling of dislike or hostility.
Que: kə — That, which, what; subordinating conjunction or pronoun.
hésites: ezit — Hesitate; second person singular of 'hésiter'.
pas: pa — Negative particle with 'ne'; also means 'step'.
conspirer: kɔ̃spiʁe — To conspire, plot; secretly plan against someone.
Cherchant: ʃɛʁʃɑ̃ — Seeking, looking for; present participle of 'chercher'.
ruiner: ʁɥine — To ruin, destroy; to cause great damage or loss.
beau: bo — Beautiful, handsome; describing something visually attractive.
toit: twa — Roof; the top covering of a building or shelter.
réparer: ʁepaʁe — To repair, fix, mend; to restore something damaged.
devrait: dəvʁɛ — Should; conditional of 'devoir'; ought to do something.
être: ɛtʁ — To be; fundamental verb expressing existence or identity.
ton: tɔ̃ — Possessive adjective 'your' for masculine singular nouns.
ardent: aʁdɑ̃ — Ardent, burning, passionate; intensely eager or enthusiastic.
désir: deziʁ — Desire, wish; strong longing or want for something.
Ô: o — Poetic exclamation 'O'; used to address someone solemnly.
change: ʃɑ̃ʒ — Change; imperative or noun; alter or transformation.
pensée: pɑ̃se — Thought, idea; the act or result of thinking.
afin: afɛ̃ — In order (to); used with 'que' to express purpose.
puisse: pɥis — Subjunctive of 'pouvoir'; may, might, can.
avis: avi — Opinion, view; one's perspective on a matter.
mieux: mjø — Better; comparative adverb or adjective of 'bien'.
logée: lɔʒe — Housed, lodged; feminine past participle of 'loger'.
doux: du — Soft, gentle, sweet; mild in nature or sensation.
Sois: swa — Be; imperative of 'être'; command to be something.
tel: tɛl — Such, like; adjective meaning of that kind or sort.
présence: pʁezɑ̃s — Presence; the state of being present in a place.
gracieuse: ɡʁasjøz — Gracious, graceful; elegant and charming in manner.
bienveillante: bjɛ̃vɛjɑ̃t — Benevolent, kind; showing goodwill toward others.
Ou: u — Conjunction meaning 'or'; presents an alternative choice.
moins: mwɛ̃ — Less, fewer; comparative adverb indicating smaller degree.
montre: mɔ̃tʁ — Shows; imperative of 'montrer'; also means 'watch' (timepiece).
bienveillant: bjɛ̃vɛjɑ̃ — Benevolent, kind-hearted; showing goodwill and friendliness.
Fais: fɛ — Do, make; imperative of 'faire'; perform an action.
autre: otʁ — Other, another; a different person or thing.
par: paʁ — Preposition meaning 'by', 'through', or 'per'.
pour: puʁ — For, in order to; expresses purpose or beneficiary.
moi: mwa — Stressed first person pronoun meaning 'me' or 'I'.
Afin: afɛ̃ — In order to; conjunction of purpose used with 'que'.
vivre: vivʁ — To live; to be alive or to experience life.
tiens: tjɛ̃ — Hold; imperative of 'tenir'; also 'yours' as possessive.
ou: u — Or; conjunction presenting an alternative option.

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