SONNET 142
Love is my sin and thy dear virtue hate,Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving:
O, but with mine compare thou thine own state,
And thou shalt find it merits not reproving;
Or, if it do, not from those lips of thine,
That have profaned their scarlet ornaments
And seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine,
Robb'd others' beds' revenues of their rents.
Be it lawful I love thee, as thou lovest those
Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee:
Root pity in thy heart, that when it grows
Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.
If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,
By self-example mayst thou be denied!
| SONNET 142 | PARAPHRASE |
|---|---|
| Love is my sin and thy dear virtue hate, | Love is my sin, and your inmost virtue is hate: |
| Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving: | You hate of my love for you because of your own adultery: |
| O, but with mine compare thou thine own state, | But with my state compare your own condition, |
| And thou shalt find it merits not reproving; | And you will find it does not deserve blame; |
| Or, if it do, not from those lips of thine, | Or if it does, at least not from your own lips, |
| That have profaned their scarlet ornaments | That have disgraced their attractive red hue, |
| And seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine, | And sealed flase bonds with a kiss as often as I have, |
| Robb'd others' beds' revenues of their rents. | And stolen married men from their domestic beds. |
| Be it lawful I love thee, as thou lovest those | Let me then love you as much as you love those |
| Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee: | Whom your eyes woo, while mine long for a response from you; |
| Root pity in thy heart, that when it grows | Put pity in your heart so that when it grows, |
| Thy pity may deserve to pitied be. | You will then deserve to be pitied. |
| If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide, | If you seek the love you withhold from me, |
| By self-example mayst thou be denied! | You may be refused as you have refused me. |
[Line 2]*: Actually read "You hate my love, not because it is sinful, but because you love other men sinfully". The poet knows that her true reason for rejecting him is that she pursues other lovers.
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