¿Quién puede decir más sino quien diga
Que sólo tú eres tú, máximo elogio?
Pues sólo tú encierras la sustancia
Capaz de ilustrar tus perfecciones.
Cuán menesterosa es esa pluma
Que al asunto no presta alguna gloria,
Mas quien de ti escribe, con que diga
Qué sólo tú eres tú, ya lo ennoblece.
Bástale copiar lo que Natura
Escribió claramente, no enturbiarlo
Y tal imitación le dará fama
Y un estilo admirado por doquiera.
Bendita es tu belleza, y la maldices
Amando adulaciones que te agravian.
Who is it that says most, which can say more,
Than this rich praise, that you alone, are you,
In whose confine immured is the store
Which should example where your equal grew?
Lean penury within that pen doth dwell
That to his subject lends not some small glory;
But he that writes of you, if he can tell
That you are you, so dignifies his story.
Let him but copy what in you is writ,
Not making worse what nature made so clear,
And such a counterpart shall fame his wit,
Making his style admired every where.
You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,
Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse