The Merchant of Venice, Act 3, Scene 5

Yes, truly, for look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children, therefore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter. Therefore be of good cheer, for truly I think you are damn’d. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good, and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither.

Yes, really, because you see, the sins of the father are to be laid on the children, and so, I promise you, I'm afraid for you. I was always honest with you, and so now I'm telling you how worried I am about the matter. So cheer up, because truly I think you're damned. There's only one hope in it that can do you any good, and even that's only a kind of bastard hope.

And what hope is that, I pray thee?

And what hope is that, please tell me?

Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew’s daughter.

Well, you can partly hope that your father didn't father you, that you aren't the Jew's daughter.

That were a kind of bastard hope indeed; so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me.

That really would be a kind of bastard hope; in that case the sins of my mother would be visited on me.

Truly then I fear you are damn’d both by father and mother; thus when I shun Scylla your father, I fall into Charybdis your mother. Well, you are gone both ways.

Then truly I'm afraid you're damned both by your father and by your mother; so when I steer clear of Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother. Well, you're lost both ways.

I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made me a Christian.

I'll be saved by my husband. He has made me a Christian.

Truly the more to blame he, we were Christians enow before, e’en as many as could well live one by another. This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.

Truly, that's all the more his fault. There were enough of us Christians before, just about as many as could get along side by side. This making of Christians will drive up the price of pigs; if we all turn into pork-eaters, before long we won't be able to get a slice of bacon on the coals for any money.

I’ll tell my husband, Launcelet, what you say. Here he comes.

I'll tell my husband what you're saying, Launcelet. Here he comes.

I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelet, if you thus get my wife into corners!

I'll soon start being jealous of you, Launcelet, if you keep getting my wife into corners like this!

Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Launcelet and I are out. He tells me flatly there’s no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew’s daughter; and he says you are no good member of the commonwealth, for in converting Jews to Christians you raise the price of pork.

No, you don't need to worry about us, Lorenzo. Launcelet and I have fallen out. He tells me bluntly that there's no mercy for me in heaven, because I'm a Jew's daughter; and he says you're no good member of the state, because by converting Jews into Christians you push up the price of pork.

I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro’s belly! The Moor is with child by you, Launcelet.

I'll answer for that to the state better than you can answer for swelling the negro's belly! The Moor is pregnant by you, Launcelet.

It is much that the Moor should be more than reason; but if she be less than an honest woman, she is indeed more than I took her for.

It's a lot that the Moor should be more than reason allows; but if she's less than an honest woman, then she's indeed more than I took her for.

How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.

How every fool can play with words! I think the finest grace of wit will soon turn into silence, and talking will only be praiseworthy in parrots. Go inside, fellow; tell them to get ready for dinner.

That is done, sir, they have all stomachs.

That's already done, sir; they all have appetites.

Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! Then bid them prepare dinner.

Good Lord, what a word-twister you are! Then tell them to prepare dinner.

That is done too, sir, only “cover” is the word.

That's done too, sir; the only word needed is "cover."

Will you cover, then, sir?

Will you cover, then, sir?

Not so, sir, neither. I know my duty.

No, not that either, sir. I know my place.

Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.

Still more nit-picking at every chance! Are you going to show off the whole fortune of your wit all at once? Please understand a plain man speaking plainly: go to your fellow servants, tell them to lay the cloth on the table and bring in the food, and we'll come in to dinner.

For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern.

As for the table, sir, it shall be brought in; as for the food, sir, it shall be covered; as for your coming in to dinner, sir, well, let that be governed by your moods and fancies.

O dear discretion, how his words are suited! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words, and I do know A many fools that stand in better place, Garnish’d like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter. How cheer’st thou, Jessica? And now, good sweet, say thy opinion, How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio’s wife?

Oh, precious good sense, how his words are matched up! The fool has planted an army of fine words in his memory, and I know plenty of fools who hold higher positions, decked out just like him, who for the sake of a clever word abandon the sense. How are you feeling, Jessica? And now, my sweet, tell me your opinion: how do you like Lord Bassanio's wife?

Past all expressing. It is very meet The Lord Bassanio live an upright life, For having such a blessing in his lady, He finds the joys of heaven here on earth, And if on earth he do not merit it, In reason he should never come to heaven. Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match, And on the wager lay two earthly women, And Portia one, there must be something else Pawn’d with the other, for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow.

Beyond anything words can say. It's entirely right that Lord Bassanio should live a virtuous life, because, having such a blessing in his lady, he finds the joys of heaven here on earth; and if he doesn't deserve those joys on earth, then it stands to reason he should never get to heaven. Why, if two gods held some heavenly contest and staked two earthly women on the wager, and Portia were one of them, something extra would have to be pledged along with the other one, because this poor crude world has nothing to match her.

Even such a husband Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.

You have just such a husband in me as she is for a wife.

Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.

No, but ask my opinion about that too.

I will anon. First let us go to dinner.

I will shortly. First let's go to dinner.

Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.

No, let me praise you while I still have the appetite for it.

No pray thee, let it serve for table-talk. Then howsome’er thou speak’st, ’mong other things I shall digest it.

No, please, save it for conversation at the table. Then, however you speak of it, I'll digest it along with the rest of the food.

Well, I’ll set you forth.

All right, I'll serve you up.