Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 4 of Macbeth from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Ross with an Old Man. OLD MAN Threescore and ten I can remember well, Within the volume of which time I have seen Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore night Hath trifled former knowings. 5 ROSS Ha, good father, Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act, Threatens his bloody stage. By th’ clock ’tis day, And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp. Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s shame 10 That darkness does the face of earth entomb When living light should kiss it? OLD MAN ’Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, 15 Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. ROSS And Duncan’s horses (a thing most strange and certain), Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, 20 Contending ’gainst obedience, as they would Make war with mankind. OLD MAN ’Tis said they eat each other. ROSS They did so, to th’ amazement of mine eyes 25 That looked upon ’t. Enter Macduff. Here comes the good Macduff.— How goes the world, sir, now?	Ross chats with a conveniently placed wise old man, who is disturbed by the night's strange events—both the King's murder and the weird things going on in nature. Ross says the heavens are clearly troubled by the unnatural regicide. Here's some of the weird stuff that's happening: Even though it's the middle of the day, it's completely dark outside; the old man saw an owl murder a hawk; and Duncan's horses ate each other. Okay, these seriously sounds like scenes out of The Exorcist.
MACDUFF Why, see you not? 30 ROSS Is ’t known who did this more than bloody deed? MACDUFF Those that Macbeth hath slain. ROSS Alas the day, What good could they pretend? MACDUFF They were suborned. 35 Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons, Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them Suspicion of the deed. ROSS ’Gainst nature still! Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up 40 Thine own lives’ means. Then ’tis most like The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. MACDUFF He is already named and gone to Scone To be invested. ROSS Where is Duncan’s body? 45 MACDUFF Carried to Colmekill, The sacred storehouse of his predecessors And guardian of their bones. ROSS Will you to Scone? MACDUFF No, cousin, I’ll to Fife. 50 ROSS Well, I will thither. MACDUFF Well, may you see things well done there. Adieu, Lest our old robes sit easier than our new. ROSS Farewell, father. OLD MAN God’s benison go with you and with those 55 That would make good of bad and friends of foes. All exit.	Macduff, yet another Scottish nobleman, offers some exposition, too: he says the dead guards "were bribed" to murder the king (wrong); that Malcolm and Donalbain look pretty suspicious, having left town so quickly and all (can't argue with that, even though we know better); that Macbeth is on his way to Scone to be crowned King; and that Duncan is being put in a freshly dug grave. Time for a new act.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Ross with an Old Man.

OLD MAN
Threescore and ten I can remember well,
Within the volume of which time I have seen
Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore
night
Hath trifled former knowings. 5

ROSS Ha, good father,
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,
Threatens his bloody stage. By th’ clock ’tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp.
Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s shame 10
That darkness does the face of earth entomb
When living light should kiss it?

OLD MAN ’Tis unnatural,
Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last
A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, 15
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.

ROSS
And Duncan’s horses (a thing most strange and
certain),
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, 20
Contending ’gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.

OLD MAN ’Tis said they eat each
other.

ROSS
They did so, to th’ amazement of mine eyes 25
That looked upon ’t.

Enter Macduff.

Here comes the good
Macduff.—
How goes the world, sir, now?

Ross chats with a conveniently placed wise old man, who is disturbed by the night's strange events—both the King's murder and the weird things going on in nature.

Ross says the heavens are clearly troubled by the unnatural regicide. Here's some of the weird stuff that's happening: Even though it's the middle of the day, it's completely dark outside; the old man saw an owl murder a hawk; and Duncan's horses ate each other. Okay, these seriously sounds like scenes out of The Exorcist.

MACDUFF Why, see you not? 30

ROSS
Is ’t known who did this more than bloody deed?

MACDUFF
Those that Macbeth hath slain.

ROSS Alas the day,
What good could they pretend?

MACDUFF They were suborned. 35
Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons,
Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them
Suspicion of the deed.

ROSS ’Gainst nature still!
Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up 40
Thine own lives’ means. Then ’tis most like
The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.

MACDUFF
He is already named and gone to Scone
To be invested.

ROSS Where is Duncan’s body? 45

MACDUFF Carried to Colmekill,
The sacred storehouse of his predecessors
And guardian of their bones.

ROSS Will you to Scone?

MACDUFF
No, cousin, I’ll to Fife. 50

ROSS Well, I will thither.

MACDUFF
Well, may you see things well done there. Adieu,
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new.

ROSS Farewell, father.

OLD MAN
God’s benison go with you and with those 55
That would make good of bad and friends of foes.

All exit.

Macduff, yet another Scottish nobleman, offers some exposition, too: he says the dead guards "were bribed" to murder the king (wrong); that Malcolm and Donalbain look pretty suspicious, having left town so quickly and all (can't argue with that, even though we know better); that Macbeth is on his way to Scone to be crowned King; and that Duncan is being put in a freshly dug grave.

Time for a new act.

Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 4 of Macbeth from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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