Sonnet 4

NEW yeare, forth looking out of Janus gate^[1],

Doth seeme to promise hope of new delight:

And bidding th'old adieu, his passéd date^[2]

Bids all old thoughts to die in dumpish^[3] spright.

And calling forth out of sad Winters night,

Fresh Love, that long hath slept in cheerlesse bowre:

Wils him awake, and soone about him dight^[4]

His wanton wings and darts of deadly powre.

For lusty Spring now in his timely howre,

Is ready to come forth, him^[5] to receive:

And warnes the Earth, with divers^[6] colord flowre,

To decke hir selfe, and her faire mantle weave.

Then you, faire flowre, in whom fresh youth doth raine,

Prepare your selfe new love to entertaine.

[1] Janus gate:两面神亚努斯之门。两面神是门神，司和谐。在儒略历之前，两面神的月份，即一月，是新年的第一个月，代替了罗马历中三月作为新年第一个月的位置。

[2] passéd date:这里的日子有两种可能，一种是指一月的第一天，另一种是指刚刚过去的冬天。不管取哪个意思，新年的到来都教会这位女子为爱情做好准备。

[3] dumpish:悲哀的，悲伤的；凄惨的，可悲的，可怜的。

[4] dight:准备。

[5] him:指爱神丘比特。

[6] divers:各种各样的，种种的，杂多的。