The Merchant of Venice: Act 3, Scene 3 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Solanio, and Antonio, and the Jailer. SHYLOCK Jailer, look to him. Tell not me of mercy. This is the fool that lent out money gratis. Jailer, look to him. ANTONIO Hear me yet, good Shylock— SHYLOCK I’ll have my bond. Speak not against my bond. 5 I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond. Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause, But since I am a dog, beware my fangs. The Duke shall grant me justice.—I do wonder, Thou naughty jailer, that thou art so fond 10 To come abroad with him at his request. ANTONIO I pray thee, hear me speak— SHYLOCK I’ll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak. I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more. I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, 15 To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors. Follow not! I’ll have no speaking. I will have my bond. He exits. SOLANIO It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept with men. 20 ANTONIO Let him alone. I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers. He seeks my life. His reason well I know: I oft delivered from his forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me. 25 Therefore he hates me. SOLANIO I am sure the Duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold. ANTONIO The Duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have 30 With us in Venice, if it be denied, Will much impeach the justice of the state, Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go. These griefs and losses have so bated me 35 That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.— Well, jailer, on.—Pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not. They exit.	On a street in Venice, Shylock presses the jailer to go after Antonio. Antonio keeps trying to plead his case, but Shylock doesn't want to hear it. He says that Antonio called him a dog, and now he's determined to live up to that reputation. Antonio better watch out for his bite. Shylock demands justice from the Duke and the jailer, then leaves in a huff. Solanio says Shylock is a cur, which is (yup) a dog, but Antonio says he understands why Shylock is so upset. He used to undercut his business all the time. (All that spitting on him probably didn't help, either.) Antonio has concluded there's nothing he can do. The law is on Shylock's side. This has been so stressful, by the way, that Antonio has lost weight. He's not even sure he has a pound of flesh to give at this point. Oh well. He just hopes that Bassanio finds time to visit before Antonio dies.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Shylock, the Jew, and Solanio, and Antonio,
and the Jailer.

SHYLOCK
Jailer, look to him. Tell not me of mercy.
This is the fool that lent out money gratis.
Jailer, look to him.

ANTONIO Hear me yet, good Shylock—

SHYLOCK
I’ll have my bond. Speak not against my bond. 5
I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
But since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
The Duke shall grant me justice.—I do wonder,
Thou naughty jailer, that thou art so fond 10
To come abroad with him at his request.

ANTONIO I pray thee, hear me speak—

SHYLOCK
I’ll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak.
I’ll have my bond, and therefore speak no more.
I’ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, 15
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not!
I’ll have no speaking. I will have my bond.

He exits.

SOLANIO
It is the most impenetrable cur
That ever kept with men. 20

ANTONIO Let him alone.
I’ll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life. His reason well I know:
I oft delivered from his forfeitures
Many that have at times made moan to me. 25
Therefore he hates me.

SOLANIO I am sure the Duke
Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

ANTONIO
The Duke cannot deny the course of law,
For the commodity that strangers have 30
With us in Venice, if it be denied,
Will much impeach the justice of the state,
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go.
These griefs and losses have so bated me 35
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
Tomorrow to my bloody creditor.—
Well, jailer, on.—Pray God Bassanio come
To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.

They exit.

On a street in Venice, Shylock presses the jailer to go after Antonio. Antonio keeps trying to plead his case, but Shylock doesn't want to hear it.

He says that Antonio called him a dog, and now he's determined to live up to that reputation. Antonio better watch out for his bite.

Shylock demands justice from the Duke and the jailer, then leaves in a huff.

Solanio says Shylock is a cur, which is (yup) a dog, but Antonio says he understands why Shylock is so upset. He used to undercut his business all the time. (All that spitting on him probably didn't help, either.)

Antonio has concluded there's nothing he can do. The law is on Shylock's side.

This has been so stressful, by the way, that Antonio has lost weight. He's not even sure he has a pound of flesh to give at this point.

Oh well. He just hopes that Bassanio finds time to visit before Antonio dies.

The Merchant of Venice: Act 3, Scene 3 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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