Shakespeare's quotes about life in English with translation
Regardless of whether you are learning English or not yet, you will probably be interested in Shakespeare's quotes in English with translation into Russian
Here's what Shakespeare said about love:
Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. Love is smoke generated by pairs of sighs.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the soul.
If music be the food of love, play on. If music is food for love, play it.
The course of true love never did run smooth. The path of true love is never smooth.
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. Love everyone, trust a few, do no harm to anyone.
There is probably not a single person who does not know this phrase from Shakespeare:
To be, or not to be, that is the question. To be or not to be - that is the question.
Quick tip:
Listen to many, speak to a few. Listen a lot, talk little.
Here are some more insightful and thought-provoking quotes from William Shakespeare:
God given has you one face, and you make yourself another. God gave you one face, and you paint yourself another.
Be great in act, as you have been in thought. Be as great in action as you were in thought.
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. Nothing is good or bad, but with our thoughts we make it so.
A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. A fool thinks he is wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. Our destiny is not in the stars, but in ourselves.
A good heart's worth gold. A kind heart is worth its weight in gold.
And finally, another popular phrase that served as a kind of intro to this article:
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. The whole world is a theater, and the people in it are actors.
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FAIR PLAY
Miranda, daughter of the legitimate Duke of Milan, Prospero, said this phrase while playing chess. Nowadays the idiom is also more often used in sports, especially football, but can also refer to fair competition in business or politics.
Football fans respect those players who demonstrate fair play.
Football fans respect players who play fairly.
Famous actors read Shakespeare's sonnets
We have selected for you several sonnets by William Shakespeare performed by famous British actors with standard pronunciation. Under each video you will find the original text of the sonnet and its translation into Russian.
First we invite you to listen to Sonnet 18, full of feelings, performed by actor Tom Hiddleston.
Doctor Who turned out to be no less a connoisseur of Shakespeare. Enjoy actor David Tennant reading Sonnet 12.
Another fan of Shakespeare’s work is actor and writer Stephen Fry. We invite you to listen to his performance of the most famous sonnet about love for a dark-skinned lady.
LOVE IS BLIND
This phrase is both romantic and witty. It is not surprising that someone other than Shakespeare could have thought of it. This is what they say happened to another English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. But it came to the people precisely with the light hand of Shakespeare.
He does everything Barbara wishes, while she doesn't appreciate it at all. Love is blind, you know.
He does whatever Barbara wants, although she doesn't appreciate it at all. Love is blind, you know.
Shakespeare's phrases in modern English
Without a shadow of modesty, William Shakespeare can be called a great poet and playwright of English literature. His merit is that he “invented” many words and expressions for the English language, in total there are about 1700 of them. Of course, some were lost in the mists of time and did not survive to this day, but the vast majority of Shakespeare’s innovations remained in the English language and are used nowadays.
William Shakespeare gave a second life to many expressions. For example, he was very fond of using phrases and idioms from medieval English in his works, which by his time had almost disappeared from use. But thanks to the author, they remained in the language and are used to this day.
As a rule, we invite our readers to take a test at the end of the article. This time we decided to make an exception. We suggest you first take the test, and then get acquainted with the most interesting and frequently used words and phrases. After all, sometimes we don’t even suspect that this or that expression was first heard from the lips of the hero of a Shakespearean play. Test how familiar you are with Shakespeare's language.
Now you know how many Shakespearean phrases are in your vocabulary. If some expressions are not familiar to you, look for their translation below.
We have compiled for you not only examples of the use of words and phrases, but also presented original lines from plays in which these phrases were used. After each example in English, the name of the character who uttered the line and the title of the work in which it was heard are indicated in parentheses. The Russian version also indicates the name of the author of the translation.
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster , which doth mock The meet it feeds on. (Iago, Othello)
Beware of jealousy, sir. That is a monster with green eyes , mocking its prey. (Iago, “Othello”. Translation by M. Lozinsky)
My friend can't come to my birthday party as her husband has succumbed to the green-eyed monster . – My friend can’t come to my birthday party because her husband is burning with jealousy .
These griefs and losses have so bated me That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor. (Antonio, The Merchant of Venice)
I’m so dry from grief and loss that a pound of meat . (Antonio, “The Merchant of Venice.” Translation by I. B. Mandelstam)
He could have canceled his debt but he decided to take a pound of flesh . - He could have forgiven the debt, but he decided to take the last one from him .
Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase , I am done. (Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet).
No, if your wit and mine are a wild goose chase , then I'm lost. (Mercutio, “Romeo and Juliet”. Translation by D. L. Mikhalovsky)
When she left I realized that her scheme was a wild-goose chase . – When she left, I realized that her plan was nonsense .
Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key, With bated breath and whisper'ing humbleness, Say this. (Shylock, The Merchant of Venice).
Or maybe I should, Barely breathing , bent over, slavishly Babble. (Shylock, “The Merchant of Venice.” Translation by I. B. Mandelstam).
They were waiting for the results with bated breath . “They waited for the results with bated breath .
Why then the world's mine oyster , Which I with sword will open. (Pistol, The Merry Wives Of Windsor)
Let this world be my oyster . I will open it with a sword! (Pistol, “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. Translation by S. Ya. Marshak)
You mustn't make a hasty decision. The world is your oyster ! – You shouldn’t make hasty decisions. The whole world is at your feet !
But, for my own part, it was Greek to me . (Casca, Julius Caesar)
For all I know, I may go blind if I understand anything . (Helmet, “Julius Caesar”. Translation by M. Zenkevich)
I know nothing about the road construction. It is Greek to me . – I don’t understand anything about road construction. For me this is a Chinese letter .
What, all my pretty chickens, And their dam, at one fell swoop ? (Macduff, Macbeth)
How? Cute chicks and their hen in one swoop ? (Macduff, Macbeth. Translation by S. Solovyov)
He has dealt with all the questions at one fell swoop . – He solved all the issues in one fell swoop .
I must be cruel only to be kind . Thus bad begins and worse remains behind. (Hamlet, Hamlet)
Out of pity I must be cruel ; The first step is bad, but the worst is not far away. (Hamlet, “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” Translation by M. Lozinsky)
He told her the truth. He had to be cruel to be kind . - He told her the truth. He had to act cruelly but fairly .
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart , As I do thee. (Hamlet, Hamlet)
If a person is not a slave to passions, I will lock him up in the middle of the heart, in the very heart of the heart , just like you. (Hamlet, “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” Translation by M. Lozinsky)
In her heart of hearts , she was aware that everything was over. “ Deep down , she knew it was all over.
Come, come, dispatch: the Duke would be at dinner Make a short shrift : he longs to see your head. (Ratcliffe, Richard the Third)
Hurry , my lord; The Duke wants to dine and he has been waiting for your head for a long time. (Ratcliffe, “King Richard III.” Translation by A.V. Druzhinin)
We don't have any time to waste. Let's make a short text of it. “We can't waste our time.” Let's this out quickly .
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve . For daws to peck at – I am not what I am. (Iago, Othello)
I would walk around with my soul wide open , and the fools would peck it out for me in no time. No, I'm not who I look, sir! (Iago, “Othello”. Translation by B. N. Leitin)
He is kind and always wears his heart on his sleeve . - He is kind and always has his heart wide open .
Let's shake our heads and say, As 'twere a knell unto our master's fortunes, We have seen better days . (Flavius, Timon of Athens)
And then our words will sound, Like the death knell of his wealth; " We have seen better days ." (Flavius, “Timon of Athens.” Translation by P. Melkova)
Your bag has seen better days . You should throw it away. – Your bag has seen better days . You should throw it away.
Shakespeare's fruitful work and genius significantly enriched the English language. Now you also know useful phrases from Shakespeare's works that are used in modern English. Stay with us to further enrich your vocabulary.
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GOOD RIDDANCE
An idiom expressing relief and joy when riddance of something or someone unpleasant. There are many Russian equivalents, which boil down in meaning to the parting words “Good riddance!”
— Have you heard that Bill left Samanta with two children?
- Good riddance! He has been an awful husband and father.
- Did you hear that Bill left Samantha with two children?
- Let it roll! He was a terrible husband and father.
Butterflies in the stomach? Maybe it's just time for you to eat?
Oh, this wonderful feeling of falling in love, when you want to sing in the street, dance in the rain and stay up all night, dreaming of a new meeting with your loved one. But, according to scientists, these are all chemical reactions that fade away quite quickly. If you're lucky, they will be replaced by a deep and strong feeling. This is how the famous American writer Eric Segal, the author of the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film “Love Story”, spoke about it:
“True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked."
Let's translate the quote: “True love comes quietly, without banners or flashes of light. If you hear bells, get your hearing checked."
An interesting phrase for us is “get your ears checked”. The construction “get / have something done” means that you need to do something, but someone else will do it. If you say “I paint my room,” it means that I paint the walls myself. And if the masters do it instead of me, then “I have my room painted.”
NOT BUDGE AN INCH
The character in this play does not literally intend to budge. In modern English, the expression means unwillingness to give in to a dispute, to change one’s opinion.
I do my best and keep explaining my point of view but Alex won't budge an inch!
I try my best and continue to explain my position, but Alex does not give in one iota!
