A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of As You Like It from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Touchstone and Audrey. TOUCHSTONE We shall find a time, Audrey. Patience, AUDREY Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the TOUCHSTONE A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most 5 AUDREY Ay, I know who ’tis. He hath no interest in me Enter William. Here comes the man you mean. 10 TOUCHSTONE It is meat and drink to me to see a clown. WILLIAM Good ev’n, Audrey. AUDREY God gi’ good ev’n, William. 15 WILLIAM, to Touchstone And good ev’n to you, sir. TOUCHSTONE Good ev’n, gentle friend. Cover thy head, WILLIAM Five-and-twenty, sir. 20 TOUCHSTONE A ripe age. Is thy name William? WILLIAM William, sir. TOUCHSTONE A fair name. Wast born i’ th’ forest here? WILLIAM Ay, sir, I thank God. TOUCHSTONE “Thank God.” A good answer. Art rich? 25 WILLIAM ’Faith sir, so-so. TOUCHSTONE “So-so” is good, very good, very excellent WILLIAM Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit. TOUCHSTONE Why, thou sayst well. I do now remember 30 WILLIAM I do, sir. TOUCHSTONE Give me your hand. Art thou learned? WILLIAM No, sir. TOUCHSTONE Then learn this of me: to have is to have. 40 WILLIAM Which he, sir? 45 TOUCHSTONE He, sir, that must marry this woman. AUDREY Do, good William. WILLIAM, to Touchstone God rest you merry, sir. 60 He exits. Enter Corin. CORIN Our master and mistress seeks you. Come away, TOUCHSTONE Trip, Audrey, trip, Audrey.—I attend, I They exit. | In another part of the forest, Audrey admits to Touchstone that another man is in love with her. Just then, the other man, William, wanders in and Touchstone chats with him about his background. Touchstone sweetly suggests, in both the language of the forest and the court, that William get lost or Touchstone will kill him. In a hundred and fifty different ways. William is off, with a hearty "God rest you merry, sir." With that potential plot-disruption out of the way, Corin is free to enter and announce to Touchstone that Ganymede and Aliena want him immediately. As in, now. |