Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 4 of Much Ado About Nothing from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Hero, and Margaret, and Ursula. HERO Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice and desire her to rise. URSULA I will, lady. HERO And bid her come hither. URSULA Well. 5 Ursula exits. MARGARET Troth, I think your other rebato were better. HERO No, pray thee, good Meg, I’ll wear this. MARGARET By my troth, ’s not so good, and I warrant your cousin will say so. 10 HERO My cousin’s a fool, and thou art another. I’ll wear none but this. MARGARET I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair were a thought browner; and your gown’s a most rare fashion, i’ faith. I saw the Duchess of 15 Milan’s gown that they praise so. HERO O, that exceeds, they say. MARGARET By my troth, ’s but a nightgown in respect of yours—cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, 20 and skirts round underborne with a bluish tinsel. But for a fine, quaint, graceful, and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on ’t. HERO God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is exceeding heavy. 25 MARGARET ’Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man. HERO Fie upon thee! Art not ashamed? MARGARET Of what, lady? Of speaking honorably? Is not marriage honorable in a beggar? Is not your 30 lord honorable without marriage? I think you would have me say “Saving your reverence, a husband.” An bad thinking do not wrest true speaking, I’ll offend nobody. Is there any harm in “the heavier for a husband”? None, I think, an it be the right 35 husband and the right wife. Otherwise, ’tis light and not heavy. Ask my lady Beatrice else. Here she comes.	It’s the morning of the wedding, and the scene is set in Hero’s bedroom. Hero has sent Ursula off to go get Beatrice, and Margaret is helping Hero get dressed. They go back and forth fondly over what Hero should wear. Margaret describes the beautiful dress Hero will wear as full of gold, silver, and pearls, but Hero seems uncomfortable. Hero hopes the dress will bring her joy, because her heart is heavy. Instead of sympathizing, Margaret jokes that soon Hero’s chest will be heavy under the weight of a husband. Hey-o! These people and their cheap sex jokes.
Enter Beatrice. HERO Good morrow, coz. BEATRICE Good morrow, sweet Hero. 40 HERO Why, how now? Do you speak in the sick tune? BEATRICE I am out of all other tune, methinks. MARGARET Clap ’s into “Light o’ love.” That goes without a burden. Do you sing it, and I’ll dance it. BEATRICE You light o’ love with your heels! Then, if 45 your husband have stables enough, you’ll see he shall lack no barns. MARGARET O, illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels. BEATRICE ’Tis almost five o’clock, cousin. ’Tis time 50 you were ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill. Heigh-ho! MARGARET For a hawk, a horse, or a husband? BEATRICE For the letter that begins them all, H. MARGARET Well, an you be not turned Turk, there’s no 55 more sailing by the star. BEATRICE What means the fool, trow? MARGARET Nothing, I; but God send everyone their heart’s desire. HERO These gloves the Count sent me, they are an 60 excellent perfume. BEATRICE I am stuffed, cousin. I cannot smell. MARGARET A maid, and stuffed! There’s goodly catching of cold. BEATRICE O, God help me, God help me! How long 65 have you professed apprehension? MARGARET Ever since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely? BEATRICE It is not seen enough; you should wear it in your cap. By my troth, I am sick. 70 MARGARET Get you some of this distilled carduus benedictus and lay it to your heart. It is the only thing for a qualm. HERO There thou prick’st her with a thistle. BEATRICE Benedictus! Why benedictus? You have some 75 moral in this benedictus?	Beatrice enters and, as usual, becomes the focus of attention. She says she doesn't feel well. When she sighs, Margaret asks her if she's sighing for a hawk, a horse, or a husband. She's hinting at Beatrice's new found love for Benedick, but Beatrice won't bite. She says she's sighing because of an "H," a pun on "ache." At one point Beatrice says she's stuffed, as in congested, but Margaret turns it into a dirty joke, and says, "Stuffed? That's quite a way for a young, unmarried woman to catch a cold!" Beatrice wonders when Margaret became so witty, but the last straw is when Margaret suggests Beatrice could be cured of her ailment by some holy thistle that just happens to be named carduus benedictus. Her hints are getting pretty obvious. Beatrice flips out.
MARGARET Moral? No, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I meant plain holy thistle. You may think perchance that I think you are in love. Nay, by ’r Lady, I am not such a fool to think what I list, nor I 80 list not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think, if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you are in love or that you will be in love or that you can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and now is he become a man. He swore he would never 85 marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats his meat without grudging. And how you may be converted I know not, but methinks you look with your eyes as other women do. BEATRICE What pace is this that thy tongue keeps? 90 MARGARET Not a false gallop. Enter Ursula. URSULA Madam, withdraw. The Prince, the Count, Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the town are come to fetch you to church. HERO Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good 95 Ursula. They exit.	In response to Beatrice’s tizzy, Margaret says she didn't mean anything special by using the name carduus benedictus. She just meant regular old thistle. And of course, she doesn't think Beatrice is in love. That would be ridiculous. Although... Benedick used to share Beatrice’s views on the absurdity of love, but he's obviously all-in now. Margaret finishes by saying that she doesn't know how it happened, but it seems to her that Beatrice's views on love have changed, too. She suddenly seems to be looking at love the way other women do. Beatrice demands to know what Margaret is talking about, but she gets interrupted by Ursula, who informs them that everyone is ready to take Hero to the church—where she will be married. (Or maybe humiliated.)

Original Text

Translated Text

Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Hero, and Margaret, and Ursula.

HERO Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice and
desire her to rise.

URSULA I will, lady.

HERO And bid her come hither.

URSULA Well. 5

Ursula exits.

MARGARET Troth, I think your other rebato were
better.

HERO No, pray thee, good Meg, I’ll wear this.

MARGARET By my troth, ’s not so good, and I warrant
your cousin will say so. 10

HERO My cousin’s a fool, and thou art another. I’ll
wear none but this.

MARGARET I like the new tire within excellently, if the
hair were a thought browner; and your gown’s a
most rare fashion, i’ faith. I saw the Duchess of 15
Milan’s gown that they praise so.

HERO O, that exceeds, they say.

MARGARET By my troth, ’s but a nightgown in respect
of yours—cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with
silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, 20
and skirts round underborne with a bluish tinsel.
But for a fine, quaint, graceful, and excellent fashion,
yours is worth ten on ’t.

HERO God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is
exceeding heavy. 25

MARGARET ’Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a
man.

HERO Fie upon thee! Art not ashamed?

MARGARET Of what, lady? Of speaking honorably? Is
not marriage honorable in a beggar? Is not your 30
lord honorable without marriage? I think you
would have me say “Saving your reverence, a husband.”
An bad thinking do not wrest true speaking,
I’ll offend nobody. Is there any harm in “the heavier
for a husband”? None, I think, an it be the right 35
husband and the right wife. Otherwise, ’tis light and
not heavy. Ask my lady Beatrice else. Here she
comes.

It’s the morning of the wedding, and the scene is set in Hero’s bedroom.

Hero has sent Ursula off to go get Beatrice, and Margaret is helping Hero get dressed. They go back and forth fondly over what Hero should wear. Margaret describes the beautiful dress Hero will wear as full of gold, silver, and pearls, but Hero seems uncomfortable.

Hero hopes the dress will bring her joy, because her heart is heavy. Instead of sympathizing, Margaret jokes that soon Hero’s chest will be heavy under the weight of a husband. Hey-o! These people and their cheap sex jokes.

Enter Beatrice.

HERO Good morrow, coz.

BEATRICE Good morrow, sweet Hero. 40

HERO Why, how now? Do you speak in the sick tune?

BEATRICE I am out of all other tune, methinks.

MARGARET Clap ’s into “Light o’ love.” That goes
without a burden. Do you sing it, and I’ll dance it.

BEATRICE You light o’ love with your heels! Then, if 45
your husband have stables enough, you’ll see he
shall lack no barns.

MARGARET O, illegitimate construction! I scorn that
with my heels.

BEATRICE ’Tis almost five o’clock, cousin. ’Tis time 50
you were ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill.
Heigh-ho!

MARGARET For a hawk, a horse, or a husband?

BEATRICE For the letter that begins them all, H.

MARGARET Well, an you be not turned Turk, there’s no 55
more sailing by the star.

BEATRICE What means the fool, trow?

MARGARET Nothing, I; but God send everyone their
heart’s desire.

HERO These gloves the Count sent me, they are an 60
excellent perfume.

BEATRICE I am stuffed, cousin. I cannot smell.

MARGARET A maid, and stuffed! There’s goodly catching
of cold.

BEATRICE O, God help me, God help me! How long 65
have you professed apprehension?

MARGARET Ever since you left it. Doth not my wit
become me rarely?

BEATRICE It is not seen enough; you should wear it in
your cap. By my troth, I am sick. 70

MARGARET Get you some of this distilled carduus benedictus
and lay it to your heart. It is the only thing for
a qualm.

HERO There thou prick’st her with a thistle.

BEATRICE Benedictus! Why benedictus? You have some 75
moral in this benedictus?

Beatrice enters and, as usual, becomes the focus of attention. She says she doesn't feel well. When she sighs, Margaret asks her if she's sighing for a hawk, a horse, or a husband.

She's hinting at Beatrice's new found love for Benedick, but Beatrice won't bite. She says she's sighing because of an "H," a pun on "ache."

At one point Beatrice says she's stuffed, as in congested, but Margaret turns it into a dirty joke, and says, "Stuffed? That's quite a way for a young, unmarried woman to catch a cold!"

Beatrice wonders when Margaret became so witty, but the last straw is when Margaret suggests Beatrice could be cured of her ailment by some holy thistle that just happens to be named carduus benedictus. Her hints are getting pretty obvious.

Beatrice flips out.

MARGARET Moral? No, by my troth, I have no moral
meaning; I meant plain holy thistle. You may think
perchance that I think you are in love. Nay, by ’r
Lady, I am not such a fool to think what I list, nor I 80
list not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot
think, if I would think my heart out of thinking, that
you are in love or that you will be in love or that you
can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
now is he become a man. He swore he would never 85
marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
his meat without grudging. And how you may be
converted I know not, but methinks you look with
your eyes as other women do.

BEATRICE What pace is this that thy tongue keeps? 90

MARGARET Not a false gallop.

Enter Ursula.

URSULA Madam, withdraw. The Prince, the Count,
Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of
the town are come to fetch you to church.

HERO Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good 95
Ursula.

They exit.

In response to Beatrice’s tizzy, Margaret says she didn't mean anything special by using the name carduus benedictus. She just meant regular old thistle. And of course, she doesn't think Beatrice is in love. That would be ridiculous. Although...

Benedick used to share Beatrice’s views on the absurdity of love, but he's obviously all-in now.

Margaret finishes by saying that she doesn't know how it happened, but it seems to her that Beatrice's views on love have changed, too. She suddenly seems to be looking at love the way other women do.

Beatrice demands to know what Margaret is talking about, but she gets interrupted by Ursula, who informs them that everyone is ready to take Hero to the church—where she will be married. (Or maybe humiliated.)

Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 4 of Much Ado About Nothing from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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