SONNET 7

PARAPHRASE

Lo! in the orient when the gracious light

When the first rays of the sun appear in the east,

Lifts up his burning head, each under eye

And he [the sun] lifts up his burning head, men's eyes

Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,

Pay tribute to his brand new appearance,

Serving with looks his sacred majesty;

Serving his majesty [the sun[ with looks of awe;

And having climb'd the steep-up heavenly hill,

And when he climbs that hill to heaven [ascends back into the sky],

Resembling strong youth in his middle age,

Like a strong young man in the prime of life,

yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,

Mortals still worship his glory,

Attending on his golden pilgrimage;

Watching closely his climb into the sky;

But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,

But when from his zenith he, with his weary horses [car=chariot],

Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day,

Staggers away from the day like he is old and feeble,

The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are

The eyes [of men], before dutiful, now turn away from him

From his low tract and look another way:

They turn away from his path in the sky and look elsewhere:

So thou, thyself out-going in thy noon,

So you, youself on your way to old age,

Unlook'd on diest, unless thou get a son.

You will die unregarded [like the sun], unless you have a son.

 

 

 

Back to Sonnets 1-10