All's Well That Ends Well: Act 2, Scene 5 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 5 of All's Well That Ends Well from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Lafew and Bertram. LAFEW But I hope your Lordship thinks not him a soldier. BERTRAM Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof. LAFEW You have it from his own deliverance. BERTRAM And by other warranted testimony. 5 LAFEW Then my dial goes not true. I took this lark for a bunting. BERTRAM I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in knowledge and accordingly valiant. LAFEW I have then sinned against his experience and 10 transgressed against his valor, and my state that way is dangerous since I cannot yet find in my heart to repent. Here he comes. I pray you make us friends. I will pursue the amity. Enter Parolles. PAROLLES, to Bertram These things shall be done, sir. 15 LAFEW, to Bertram Pray you, sir, who’s his tailor? PAROLLES Sir? LAFEW O, I know him well. Ay, sir, he, sir, ’s a good workman, a very good tailor. BERTRAM, aside to Parolles Is she gone to the King? 20 PAROLLES She is. BERTRAM Will she away tonight? PAROLLES As you’ll have her. BERTRAM I have writ my letters, casketed my treasure, Given order for our horses, and tonight, 25 When I should take possession of the bride, End ere I do begin. LAFEW, aside A good traveler is something at the latter end of a dinner, but one that lies three thirds, and uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings 30 with, should be once heard and thrice beaten.— God save you, captain. BERTRAM, to Parolles Is there any unkindness between my lord and you, monsieur? PAROLLES I know not how I have deserved to run into 35 my lord’s displeasure. LAFEW You have made shift to run into ’t, boots and spurs and all, like him that leapt into the custard; and out of it you’ll run again rather than suffer question for your residence. 40 BERTRAM It may be you have mistaken him, my lord. LAFEW And shall do so ever, though I took him at ’s prayers. Fare you well, my lord, and believe this of me: there can be no kernel in this light nut. The soul of this man is his clothes. Trust him not in 45 matter of heavy consequence. I have kept of them tame and know their natures.—Farewell, monsieur. I have spoken better of you than you have or will to deserve at my hand, but we must do good against evil. 50 He exits. PAROLLES An idle lord, I swear. BERTRAM I think not so. PAROLLES Why, do you not know him? BERTRAM Yes, I do know him well, and common speech Gives him a worthy pass. 55 Enter Helen. Here comes my clog.	Elsewhere in the royal palace, Lafew and Bertram talk about Bertram's BFF, Parolles. Bertram tries to convince Lafew that Parolles is a great guy and an awesome soldier, but Lafew doesn't buy it. In fact, when Parolles strolls in, Lafew immediately starts to bag on his clothes. Bertram and Parolles whisper about Bertram's plan to ditch Helen. Lafew storms off after warning Bertram that he shouldn't trust Parolles: the guy is a liar and an idiot. Helen shows up and Bertram basically calls her the old ball and chain.
HELEN I have, sir, as I was commanded from you, Spoke with the King and have procured his leave For present parting. Only he desires Some private speech with you. 60 BERTRAM I shall obey his will. You must not marvel, Helen, at my course, Which holds not color with the time, nor does The ministration and requirèd office On my particular. Prepared I was not 65 For such a business; therefore am I found So much unsettled. This drives me to entreat you That presently you take your way for home, And rather muse than ask why I entreat you; For my respects are better than they seem, 70 And my appointments have in them a need Greater than shows itself at the first view To you that know them not. Giving her a paper. This to my mother. ’Twill be two days ere I shall see you, so 75 I leave you to your wisdom. HELEN Sir, I can nothing say But that I am your most obedient servant— BERTRAM Come, come, no more of that. HELEN And ever shall 80 With true observance seek to eke out that Wherein toward me my homely stars have failed To equal my great fortune. BERTRAM Let that go. My haste is very great. Farewell. Hie home. 85 HELEN Pray, sir, your pardon. BERTRAM Well, what would you say? HELEN I am not worthy of the wealth I owe, Nor dare I say ’tis mine—and yet it is— But, like a timorous thief, most fain would steal 90 What law does vouch mine own. BERTRAM What would you have? HELEN Something, and scarce so much; nothing, indeed. I would not tell you what I would, my lord. Faith, yes: 95 Strangers and foes do sunder and not kiss. BERTRAM I pray you stay not, but in haste to horse. HELEN I shall not break your bidding, good my lord.— Where are my other men?—Monsieur, farewell. She exits. BERTRAM Go thou toward home, where I will never come 100 Whilst I can shake my sword or hear the drum.— Away, and for our flight. PAROLLES Bravely, coraggio! They exit.	Bertram makes Helen promise that she'll return to Roussillon and that she won't ask any questions about why he's ditching out on her. He promises he'll meet her in Roussillon in two days. Helen says she'll do whatever he says, which annoys Bertram. He tells her to cut the obedient servant routine. He's pretty rude to her, but Helen doesn't get it. Instead, she asks for a goodbye kiss, which Bertram won't give her. He blows her off and tells her to go home. Then he mutters something under his breath about how she'll never see him again.

Original Text

Translated Text

Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Lafew and Bertram.

LAFEW But I hope your Lordship thinks not him a
soldier.

BERTRAM Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof.

LAFEW You have it from his own deliverance.

BERTRAM And by other warranted testimony. 5

LAFEW Then my dial goes not true. I took this lark for
a bunting.

BERTRAM I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in
knowledge and accordingly valiant.

LAFEW I have then sinned against his experience and 10
transgressed against his valor, and my state that
way is dangerous since I cannot yet find in my
heart to repent. Here he comes. I pray you make us
friends. I will pursue the amity.

Enter Parolles.

PAROLLES, to Bertram These things shall be done, sir. 15

LAFEW, to Bertram Pray you, sir, who’s his tailor?

PAROLLES Sir?

LAFEW O, I know him well. Ay, sir, he, sir, ’s a good
workman, a very good tailor.

BERTRAM, aside to Parolles Is she gone to the King? 20

PAROLLES She is.

BERTRAM Will she away tonight?

PAROLLES As you’ll have her.

BERTRAM
I have writ my letters, casketed my treasure,
Given order for our horses, and tonight, 25
When I should take possession of the bride,
End ere I do begin.

LAFEW, aside A good traveler is something at the latter
end of a dinner, but one that lies three thirds,
and uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings 30
with, should be once heard and thrice beaten.—
God save you, captain.

BERTRAM, to Parolles Is there any unkindness
between my lord and you, monsieur?

PAROLLES I know not how I have deserved to run into 35
my lord’s displeasure.

LAFEW You have made shift to run into ’t, boots and
spurs and all, like him that leapt into the custard;
and out of it you’ll run again rather than suffer
question for your residence. 40

BERTRAM It may be you have mistaken him, my lord.

LAFEW And shall do so ever, though I took him at ’s
prayers. Fare you well, my lord, and believe this of
me: there can be no kernel in this light nut. The
soul of this man is his clothes. Trust him not in 45
matter of heavy consequence. I have kept of them
tame and know their natures.—Farewell, monsieur.
I have spoken better of you than you have or
will to deserve at my hand, but we must do good
against evil. 50

He exits.

PAROLLES An idle lord, I swear.

BERTRAM I think not so.

PAROLLES Why, do you not know him?

BERTRAM
Yes, I do know him well, and common speech
Gives him a worthy pass. 55

Enter Helen.

Here comes my clog.

Elsewhere in the royal palace, Lafew and Bertram talk about Bertram's BFF, Parolles.

Bertram tries to convince Lafew that Parolles is a great guy and an awesome soldier, but Lafew doesn't buy it. In fact, when Parolles strolls in, Lafew immediately starts to bag on his clothes.

Bertram and Parolles whisper about Bertram's plan to ditch Helen.

Lafew storms off after warning Bertram that he shouldn't trust Parolles: the guy is a liar and an idiot.

Helen shows up and Bertram basically calls her the old ball and chain.

HELEN
I have, sir, as I was commanded from you,
Spoke with the King and have procured his leave
For present parting. Only he desires
Some private speech with you. 60

BERTRAM I shall obey his will.
You must not marvel, Helen, at my course,
Which holds not color with the time, nor does
The ministration and requirèd office
On my particular. Prepared I was not 65
For such a business; therefore am I found
So much unsettled. This drives me to entreat you
That presently you take your way for home,
And rather muse than ask why I entreat you;
For my respects are better than they seem, 70
And my appointments have in them a need
Greater than shows itself at the first view
To you that know them not. Giving her a paper.
This to my mother.
’Twill be two days ere I shall see you, so 75
I leave you to your wisdom.

HELEN Sir, I can nothing say
But that I am your most obedient servant—

BERTRAM
Come, come, no more of that.

HELEN And ever shall 80
With true observance seek to eke out that
Wherein toward me my homely stars have failed
To equal my great fortune.

BERTRAM Let that go.
My haste is very great. Farewell. Hie home. 85

HELEN
Pray, sir, your pardon.

BERTRAM Well, what would you say?

HELEN
I am not worthy of the wealth I owe,
Nor dare I say ’tis mine—and yet it is—
But, like a timorous thief, most fain would steal 90
What law does vouch mine own.

BERTRAM What would you have?

HELEN
Something, and scarce so much; nothing, indeed.
I would not tell you what I would, my lord. Faith,
yes: 95
Strangers and foes do sunder and not kiss.

BERTRAM
I pray you stay not, but in haste to horse.

HELEN
I shall not break your bidding, good my lord.—
Where are my other men?—Monsieur, farewell.

She exits.

BERTRAM
Go thou toward home, where I will never come 100
Whilst I can shake my sword or hear the drum.—
Away, and for our flight.

PAROLLES Bravely, coraggio!

They exit.

Bertram makes Helen promise that she'll return to Roussillon and that she won't ask any questions about why he's ditching out on her. He promises he'll meet her in Roussillon in two days.

Helen says she'll do whatever he says, which annoys Bertram. He tells her to cut the obedient servant routine. He's pretty rude to her, but Helen doesn't get it.

Instead, she asks for a goodbye kiss, which Bertram won't give her.

He blows her off and tells her to go home. Then he mutters something under his breath about how she'll never see him again.

All's Well That Ends Well: Act 2, Scene 5 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 5 of All's Well That Ends Well from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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