As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 3

Tomorrow is the joyful day, Audrey, tomorrow will we be married.

Tomorrow is the happy day, Audrey. Tomorrow we'll be married.

I do desire it with all my heart; and I hope it is no dishonest desire to desire to be a woman of the world.

I want it with all my heart, and I hope there's nothing improper in wanting to be a married woman.

Here come two of the banished Duke’s pages.

Here come two of the banished Duke's pages.

Well met, honest gentleman.

Well met, worthy gentleman.

By my troth, well met. Come sit, sit, and a song.

Truly, well met. Come, sit down, sit down, and let's have a song.

We are for you, sit i’ th’ middle.

We're ready for you. Sit in the middle.

Shall we clap into’t roundly, without hawking or spitting or saying we are hoarse, which are the only prologues to a bad voice?

Shall we launch straight into it, without clearing our throats or spitting or saying we're hoarse, which are the usual introductions to a bad voice?

I’faith, i’faith, and both in a tune like two gipsies on a horse.

Yes, indeed, indeed, and both of us in one tune, like two travelling fortune-tellers riding on a single horse.

[Sing.] It was a lover and his lass, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, That o’er the green cornfield did pass In the spring-time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

[They sing.] There was a lover and his girl, with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, who walked across the green cornfield in the spring-time, the only pretty time for weddings, when birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, These pretty country folks would lie, In the spring-time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the strips of rye field, with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, these pretty country folk would lie down, in the spring-time, the only pretty time for weddings, when birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, How that a life was but a flower, In the spring-time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

They struck up this song then and there, with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, about how a life was no more than a flower, in the spring-time, the only pretty time for weddings, when birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, For love is crowned with the prime, In the spring-time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

And so make the most of the present moment, with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, for love is crowned with the springtime, in the spring-time, the only pretty time for weddings, when birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding. Sweet lovers love the spring.

TOUCHSTONE Truly, young gentlemen, though there was no great matter in the ditty, yet the note was very untuneable.

TOUCHSTONE Honestly, young gentlemen, though there was nothing much in the words, the tune was very much out of tune.

You are deceived, sir, we kept time, we lost not our time.

You're mistaken, sir. We kept time; we didn't waste our time.

By my troth, yes. I count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song. God be wi’ you, and God mend your voices. Come, Audrey.

Truly, you did. I count it nothing but time wasted to listen to such a foolish song. God be with you, and God improve your voices. Come along, Audrey.