The Merchant of Venice: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

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

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Solanio. LORENZO Nay, we will slink away in supper time, Disguise us at my lodging, and return All in an hour. GRATIANO We have not made good preparation. SALARINO We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. 5 SOLANIO ’Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better in my mind not undertook. LORENZO ’Tis now but four o’clock. We have two hours To furnish us. Enter Lancelet. Friend Lancelet, what’s the news? 10 LANCELET An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. Handing him Jessica’s letter. LORENZO I know the hand; in faith, ’tis a fair hand, And whiter than the paper it writ on Is the fair hand that writ. 15 GRATIANO Love news, in faith! LANCELET By your leave, sir. LORENZO Whither goest thou? LANCELET Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup tonight with my new master the Christian. 20 LORENZO Hold here, take this. Giving him money. Tell gentle Jessica I will not fail her. Speak it privately. Lancelet exits. Go, gentlemen, Will you prepare you for this masque tonight? 25 I am provided of a torchbearer. SALARINO Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight. SOLANIO And so will I. LORENZO Meet me and Gratiano At Gratiano’s lodging some hour hence. 30 SALARINO ’Tis good we do so. Salarino and Solanio exit.	Lorenzo, Gratiano, Solanio, and Salarino all meet at a street in Venice to discuss a plot they've concocted that is not quite ready to be carried out. Lorenzo suggests that they slip away during dinnertime and disguise themselves, but Salarino points out that they don't have torchbearers (people to carry their lights), and Solanio thinks the whole thing is a waste of time unless it's really carefully organized. Lancelet (young Gobbo) enters with Jessica's letter, which Lorenzo is excited to receive. Hearing that Lancelet is headed over to invite Shylock to dine with Bassanio, Lorenzo tells Lancelet to secretly deliver a letter to Jessica. After Lancelet leaves, Lorenzo announces that he's found a torchbearer after all, and instructs everyone to meet up at Gratiano's house later that evening.
GRATIANO Was not that letter from fair Jessica? LORENZO I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed How I shall take her from her father’s house, What gold and jewels she is furnished with, 35 What page’s suit she hath in readiness. If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven, It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake; And never dare misfortune cross her foot Unless she do it under this excuse, 40 That she is issue to a faithless Jew. Come, go with me. Peruse this as thou goest; Handing him the letter. Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer. They exit.	Bassiano tells Gratiano about Jessica's letter, which essentially says: "Dear Sweetie, Please steal me away from my father's house, ASAP. I've got some gold and manservants packed and ready to go." Lorenzo says he's in and that Jessica will be his torchbearer for tonight's escapades.

Original Text

Translated Text

Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Solanio.

LORENZO
Nay, we will slink away in supper time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return
All in an hour.

GRATIANO
We have not made good preparation.

SALARINO
We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. 5

SOLANIO
’Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my mind not undertook.

LORENZO
’Tis now but four o’clock. We have two hours
To furnish us.

Enter Lancelet.

Friend Lancelet, what’s the news? 10

LANCELET An it shall please you to break up this, it
shall seem to signify. Handing him Jessica’s letter.

LORENZO
I know the hand; in faith, ’tis a fair hand,
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ. 15

GRATIANO Love news, in faith!

LANCELET By your leave, sir.

LORENZO Whither goest thou?

LANCELET Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to
sup tonight with my new master the Christian. 20

LORENZO
Hold here, take this. Giving him money. Tell gentle
Jessica
I will not fail her. Speak it privately.

Lancelet exits.

Go, gentlemen,
Will you prepare you for this masque tonight? 25
I am provided of a torchbearer.

SALARINO
Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight.

SOLANIO
And so will I.

LORENZO Meet me and Gratiano
At Gratiano’s lodging some hour hence. 30

SALARINO ’Tis good we do so.

Salarino and Solanio exit.

Lorenzo, Gratiano, Solanio, and Salarino all meet at a street in Venice to discuss a plot they've concocted that is not quite ready to be carried out.

Lorenzo suggests that they slip away during dinnertime and disguise themselves, but Salarino points out that they don't have torchbearers (people to carry their lights), and Solanio thinks the whole thing is a waste of time unless it's really carefully organized.

Lancelet (young Gobbo) enters with Jessica's letter, which Lorenzo is excited to receive.

Hearing that Lancelet is headed over to invite Shylock to dine with Bassanio, Lorenzo tells Lancelet to secretly deliver a letter to Jessica.

After Lancelet leaves, Lorenzo announces that he's found a torchbearer after all, and instructs everyone to meet up at Gratiano's house later that evening.

GRATIANO
Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

LORENZO
I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father’s house,
What gold and jewels she is furnished with, 35
What page’s suit she hath in readiness.
If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake;
And never dare misfortune cross her foot
Unless she do it under this excuse, 40
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me. Peruse this as thou goest;

Handing him the letter.

Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.

They exit.

Bassiano tells Gratiano about Jessica's letter, which essentially says: "Dear Sweetie, Please steal me away from my father's house, ASAP. I've got some gold and manservants packed and ready to go."

Lorenzo says he's in and that Jessica will be his torchbearer for tonight's escapades.

The Merchant of Venice: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

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

Original Text

Translated Text

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