Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 1

There’s matter in these sighs. These profound heaves You must translate; ’tis fit we understand them. Where is your son?

There's something behind these sighs. You must translate these deep heavings of your breath; it's right that we understand them. Where is your son?

Bestow this place on us a little while.

Leave this room to us for a little while.

Ah, my good lord, what have I seen tonight!

Ah, my good lord, what I have seen tonight!

What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

What is it, Gertrude? How is Hamlet?

Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend Which is the mightier. In his lawless fit Behind the arras hearing something stir, Whips out his rapier, cries ‘A rat, a rat!’ And in this brainish apprehension kills The unseen good old man.

As mad as the sea and the wind when the two of them fight over which is stronger. In his wild fit, hearing something move behind the tapestry, he pulled out his sword, shouted "A rat, a rat!" and in that crazed imagining he killed the good old man he couldn't see.

O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there. His liberty is full of threats to all; To you yourself, to us, to everyone. Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer’d? It will be laid to us, whose providence Should have kept short, restrain’d, and out of haunt This mad young man. But so much was our love We would not understand what was most fit, But like the owner of a foul disease, To keep it from divulging, let it feed Even on the pith of life. Where is he gone?

Oh, terrible deed! It would have happened to me if I had been there. His freedom is a threat to everyone — to you yourself, to me, to every person. Oh, how will this bloody act be answered for? It will be blamed on me, since my foresight should have kept this mad young man on a short leash, confined, and away from other people. But my love for him was so great that I refused to understand what was the right thing to do; instead, like the owner of a disgusting disease who keeps it secret to stop it being known, I let it eat away at the very core of life. Where has he gone?

To draw apart the body he hath kill’d, O’er whom his very madness, like some ore Among a mineral of metals base, Shows itself pure. He weeps for what is done.

To drag away the body he has killed. Over that body his very madness shows itself pure, like a vein of gold among a mine of cheap metals. He is weeping for what he has done.

O Gertrude, come away! The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch But we will ship him hence, and this vile deed We must with all our majesty and skill Both countenance and excuse.—Ho, Guildenstern!

Oh Gertrude, come away! As soon as the sun touches the mountains we'll put him on a ship out of here, and this vile deed we must both give our approval to and excuse, using all our royal authority and skill. — Hey, Guildenstern!

Friends both, go join you with some further aid: Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain, And from his mother’s closet hath he dragg’d him. Go seek him out, speak fair, and bring the body Into the chapel. I pray you haste in this.

My friends, both of you, go and get some more help: Hamlet in his madness has killed Polonius, and he has dragged him out of his mother's private room. Go and find him, speak gently to him, and bring the body into the chapel. Please hurry with this.

Come, Gertrude, we’ll call up our wisest friends, And let them know both what we mean to do And what’s untimely done, so haply slander, Whose whisper o’er the world’s diameter, As level as the cannon to his blank, Transports his poison’d shot, may miss our name, And hit the woundless air. O, come away! My soul is full of discord and dismay.

Come, Gertrude, we'll wake our wisest friends and let them know both what we intend to do and what has been done too soon. That way, with luck, slander — whose whisper carries its poisoned shot right across the world's width, as straight as a cannon at its target — may miss our name and strike the air, which can't be wounded. Oh, come away! My soul is full of turmoil and dread.