The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 1

Boatswain!

Boatswain!

Here, master: what cheer?

Here, master. How are things going?

Good! Speak to the mariners: fall to ’t yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.

Good! Speak to the sailors: get to work quickly, or we'll run ourselves aground. Get moving, get moving.

Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to th’ master’s whistle. Blow till thou burst thy wind, if room enough.

Hey, my lads! Cheerfully, cheerfully, my lads! Quick, quick! Take in the topsail. Listen for the master's whistle. Blow till you burst your own lungs, as long as we have sea room.

Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master? Play the men.

Good boatswain, be careful. Where's the master? Act like men.

I pray now, keep below.

Please, stay below deck.

Where is the master, boson?

Where is the master, boatswain?

Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.

Can't you hear him? You're ruining our work. Stay in your cabins. You're helping the storm.

Nay, good, be patient.

Come now, good man, be patient.

When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin! silence! Trouble us not.

When the sea is. Get out of here! What do these roaring waves care about the title of king? To your cabin! Be quiet! Don't bother us.

Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

All right, but remember who you have on board.

None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor: if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.—Cheerly, good hearts!—Out of our way, I say.

Nobody I love more than myself. You're a counsellor: if you can order these elements to be quiet, and bring calm to the present moment, we won't handle another rope. Use your authority. If you can't, be grateful you've lived this long, and go get yourself ready in your cabin for the disaster of the hour, if it happens to come. — Cheerfully, good lads! — Out of our way, I tell you.

I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him. His complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging! Make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage! If he be not born to be hang’d, our case is miserable.

This fellow is a great comfort to me. I think he has no mark of drowning on him. His looks are made for the gallows. Hold firm, good Fate, to hanging him! Make the rope of his destiny our anchor cable, since our own does us little good! If he wasn't born to be hanged, our situation is wretched.

Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try wi’ th’ maincourse.

Down with the topmast! Quick! Lower, lower! Bring her round to ride out the storm with the mainsail only.

A plague upon this howling! They are louder than the weather or our office.

A plague on this howling! They're louder than the weather or our own shouted orders.

Yet again! What do you here? Shall we give o’er, and drown? Have you a mind to sink?

Here again! What are you doing here? Shall we give up and drown? Are you determined to sink?

A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!

A disease on your throat, you bawling, blaspheming, unfeeling dog!

Work you, then.

You do the work, then.

Hang, cur, hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.

Hang, you mongrel, hang, you bastard, insolent noisemaker! We're less afraid of drowning than you are.

I’ll warrant him for drowning, though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky as an unstanched wench.

I guarantee he won't drown, even if the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as a woman who can't stop bleeding.

Lay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses: off to sea again: lay her off.

Bring her close to the wind, close to the wind! Set her mainsail and foresail: out to sea again: steer her clear.

All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!

All is lost! To prayers, to prayers! All is lost!

What, must our mouths be cold?

What, must our mouths go cold?

The King and Prince at prayers! Let’s assist them, For our case is as theirs.

The King and Prince are at prayer! Let's join them, since we're in the same situation as they are.

I am out of patience.

I've lost all patience.

We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chapp’d rascal—would thou might’st lie drowning The washing of ten tides!

We're absolutely robbed of our lives by drunks. This wide-jawed scoundrel — I wish you could lie drowning through ten tides washing over you!

He’ll be hang’d yet, Though every drop of water swear against it, And gape at wid’st to glut him.

He'll be hanged yet, even if every drop of water swears he won't, and gapes as wide as it can to swallow him.

A confused noise within: “Mercy on us!”— “We split, we split!”—“Farewell, my wife and children!”— “Farewell, brother!”—“We split, we split, we split!”

A confused noise offstage: "Have mercy on us!" — "We're breaking apart, we're breaking apart!" — "Goodbye, my wife and children!" — "Goodbye, brother!" — "We're breaking apart, we're breaking apart, we're breaking apart!"

Let’s all sink wi’ th’ King.

Let's all go down with the King.

Let’s take leave of him.

Let's go and say goodbye to him.

Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground. Long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death.

Right now I'd give a thousand furlongs of sea for one acre of dry, barren ground. Tall heather, brown gorse, anything. Let the will of heaven be done! But I'd much rather die a dry death.