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 lungs, as long as we have room enough.

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.

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 spoiling our work. Stay in your cabins. You're helping the storm.

Nay, good, be patient.

Come on, my 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 away! What do these roaring waves care for the name of king? Into your cabin! Be quiet! Stop bothering 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.

No one I love more than myself. You're a counsellor: if you can order these elements to be quiet, and make the present moment peaceful, we won't handle another rope. Use your authority. If you can't, be grateful you've lived this long, and go get ready in your cabin for the disaster of this hour, if it happens.—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 face is made for the gallows. Hold firm, good Fate, to hanging him! Make the rope of his destiny our anchor cable, since our own is doing 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 just the mainsail.

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 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? Do you want to sink?

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

A plague on your throat, you bawling, blaspheming, unkind 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 with an unstoppable flow.

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 two lower sails. Out to sea again. Steer her clear.

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

All lost! To prayers, to prayers! All 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 their prayers! Let's join them, for we're in the same situation as they are.

I am out of patience.

I've run out of 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 simply being robbed of our lives by drunks. This wide-jawed scoundrel—I wish you might lie drowning through the washing of ten tides!

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 against it and opens its widest 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: "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 sink 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 barren ground. Tall heather, brown gorse, anything. Let the will of those above be done! But I would much rather die a dry death.