King Lear, Act 4, Scene 7

O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work To match thy goodness? My life will be too short, And every measure fail me.

Oh, good Kent, how can I ever live and labour enough to match your goodness? My life will be too short, and every means I have will fall short.

To be acknowledg’d, madam, is o’erpaid. All my reports go with the modest truth; Nor more, nor clipp’d, but so.

Simply to be recognized, madam, is more than payment enough. Everything I have reported keeps to the plain truth: no more than happened, nothing cut away, just as it was.

Be better suited, These weeds are memories of those worser hours: I prythee put them off.

Dress better. These clothes are reminders of those worse hours. Please, take them off.

Pardon, dear madam; Yet to be known shortens my made intent. My boon I make it that you know me not Till time and I think meet.

Forgive me, dear madam. To be known yet would cut short the plan I have made. I ask it as a favour that you not recognize me until the time and I judge it right.

Then be’t so, my good lord. [To the Physician.] How does the King?

Then let it be so, my good lord. [To the Physician.] How is the King?

Madam, sleeps still.

Madam, he is still sleeping.

O you kind gods, Cure this great breach in his abused nature! The untun’d and jarring senses, O, wind up Of this child-changed father.

Oh, you kind gods, heal this great tear in his ill-treated nature! Oh, tune the untuned, discordant senses of this father whom his children have changed.

So please your majesty That we may wake the King: he hath slept long.

If it pleases your majesty, may we wake the King? He has slept a long time.

Be govern’d by your knowledge, and proceed I’ the sway of your own will. Is he array’d?

Be guided by your medical knowledge, and go ahead as your own judgement directs. Is he dressed?

Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep We put fresh garments on him. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him; I doubt not of his temperance.

Yes, madam. While he was deep in sleep we put fresh clothes on him. Stay near, good madam, when we wake him. I have no fear that he will be calm.

Very well.

Very well.

Please you draw near. Louder the music there!

Please come closer. Play the music louder there!

O my dear father! Restoration hang Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made!

Oh, my dear father! May healing hang its medicine on my lips, and let this kiss mend the violent injuries that my two sisters have done to your honoured age!

Kind and dear princess!

Kind and dear princess!

Had you not been their father, these white flakes Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face To be oppos’d against the warring winds? To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder? In the most terrible and nimble stroke Of quick cross lightning? to watch, poor perdu! With this thin helm? Mine enemy’s dog, Though he had bit me, should have stood that night Against my fire; and wast thou fain, poor father, To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn In short and musty straw? Alack, alack! ’Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once Had not concluded all. He wakes; speak to him.

Even if you had not been their father, these white hairs would have demanded pity from them. Was this a face to be turned out against the warring winds? To stand up to the deep thunder with its dreadful bolts? In the most terrifying and darting flash of living, criss-crossing lightning? To keep watch, poor lonely sentry, with only this thin covering of hair for a helmet? My enemy's dog, even if he had bitten me, would have been let stand by my fire that night; and were you glad, poor father, to shelter with pigs and abandoned beggars in short, mouldy straw? Oh no, oh no! It is a wonder that your life and your wits did not both end together. He is waking. Speak to him.

Madam, do you; ’tis fittest.

Madam, you speak to him; that is most suitable.

How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?

How is my royal lord? How is your majesty?

You do me wrong to take me out o’ the grave. Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead.

You wrong me by taking me out of the grave. You are a soul in heaven, but I am tied to a wheel of fire, so that my own tears scald me like melted lead.

Sir, do you know me?

Sir, do you know who I am?

You are a spirit, I know: when did you die?

You are a spirit, I know that. When did you die?

Still, still, far wide!

Still, still far off the mark!

He’s scarce awake: let him alone awhile.

He is barely awake. Leave him be for a while.

Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight? I am mightily abus’d. I should e’en die with pity, To see another thus. I know not what to say. I will not swear these are my hands: let’s see; I feel this pin prick. Would I were assur’d Of my condition!

Where have I been? Where am I? Is this broad daylight? I am badly deceived. I would die of pity myself to see anyone else like this. I don't know what to say. I won't swear these are my own hands. Let me see — I feel this pin prick me. I wish I could be certain of my own condition!

O, look upon me, sir, And hold your hands in benediction o’er me. No, sir, you must not kneel.

Oh, look at me, sir, and hold your hands over me in blessing. No, sir, you must not kneel.

Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man, Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less; And to deal plainly, I fear I am not in my perfect mind. Methinks I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful: for I am mainly ignorant What place this is; and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments; nor I know not Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me; For, as I am a man, I think this lady To be my child Cordelia.

Please, don't make fun of me. I am a very foolish, doting old man, eighty years old and more, not an hour more or less; and to speak plainly, I am afraid I am not in my right mind. I think I ought to know you, and know this man, but I am unsure, because I am completely ignorant of what place this is; and for all the skill I have, I cannot remember these clothes, nor do I know where I slept last night. Don't laugh at me, for as I am a living man, I think this lady is my child Cordelia.

And so I am. I am.

And so I am. I am.

Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray weep not: If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you do not love me; for your sisters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. You have some cause, they have not.

Are your tears wet? Yes, truly they are. Please don't cry. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. I know you don't love me, because your sisters, as I remember, have wronged me. You have some reason to; they had none.

No cause, no cause.

No reason, no reason.

Am I in France?

Am I in France?

In your own kingdom, sir.

In your own kingdom, sir.

Do not abuse me.

Don't deceive me.

Be comforted, good madam, the great rage, You see, is kill’d in him: and yet it is danger To make him even o’er the time he has lost. Desire him to go in; trouble him no more Till further settling.

Take comfort, good madam. The great frenzy, as you see, has been killed in him; but it is still dangerous to make him go back over the time he has lost. Ask him to go inside; don't trouble him any more until he has settled further.

Will’t please your highness walk?

Will your highness please come and walk?

You must bear with me: Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and foolish.

You must be patient with me. Please, now, forget and forgive. I am old and foolish.

Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain?

Is it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was killed in that way?

Most certain, sir.

Quite certain, sir.

Who is conductor of his people?

Who is leading his forces?

As ’tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester.

As the story goes, the illegitimate son of Gloucester.

They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

They say that Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

Report is changeable. ’Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace.

Rumour keeps changing. It is time to be on the watch. The kingdom's armies are coming on fast.

The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir.

The settling of it is likely to be bloody. Goodbye, sir.

My point and period will be throughly wrought, Or well or ill, as this day’s battle’s fought.

My purpose and my end will be fully worked out, for good or ill, according to how this day's battle goes.