Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5: Line-by-Line Modern English Translation

Hang out our banners on the outward walls;

Modern English: Hang our banners on the outer walls;

The cry is still 'They come:' our castle's strength

Modern English: the cry is still 'They're coming!' Our castle's strength

Will laugh a siege to scorn: here let them lie

Modern English: will laugh at a siege; let them stay out there

Till famine and the ague eat them up:

Modern English: until hunger and fever finish them off.

Were they not forced with those that should be ours,

Modern English: If their army hadn't been reinforced by men who should be on our side,

We might have met them dareful, beard to beard,

Modern English: we could have faced them boldly, face to face,

And beat them backward home.

Modern English: and driven them all the way back home.

What is that noise?

Modern English: What is that sound?

A cry of women within

Modern English: A cry of women within

It is the cry of women, my good lord.

Modern English: It is the sound of women crying, my good lord.

Exit

Modern English: The character leaves.

I have almost forgot the taste of fears;

Modern English: I have almost forgotten what it feels like to be afraid;

The time has been, my senses would have cool'd

Modern English: there was a time when my blood would have run cold

To hear a night-shriek; and my fell of hair

Modern English: to hear a scream in the night; and the hair on my skin

Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir

Modern English: would have stood up at a terrifying story

As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors;

Modern English: as if it were alive. I have had my fill of horrors;

Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts

Modern English: terror, which is so familiar to my murderous thoughts,

Cannot once start me.

Modern English: cannot startle me anymore.

Wherefore was that cry?

Modern English: What was the reason for that cry?

Re-enter SEYTON

Modern English: SEYTON returns.

The queen, my lord, is dead.

Modern English: The queen, my lord, is dead.

She should have died hereafter;

Modern English: She would have died sooner or later anyway;

There would have been a time for such a word.

Modern English: there would have been a more appropriate time for such news.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Modern English: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

Modern English: creeps along at this trivial pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

Modern English: until the very last moment of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

Modern English: and all our past days have only shown fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Modern English: the path to a dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

Modern English: Life is nothing but a walking shadow, a poor actor

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

Modern English: who struts and worries for his hour on the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale

Modern English: and then is never heard from again. It is a story

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Modern English: told by an idiot, full of noise and emotional intensity,

Signifying nothing.

Modern English: signifying nothing at all.

Thou comest to use thy tongue; thy story quickly.

Modern English: You've come to speak; tell your story quickly.

Enter a Messenger

Modern English: a Messenger enters.

Gracious my lord,

Modern English: My gracious lord,

I should report that which I say I saw,

Modern English: I should report what I claim I saw,

But know not how to do it.

Modern English: but I don't know how to say it.

Well, say, sir.

Modern English: Well, just say it, sir.

As I did stand my watch upon the hill,

Modern English: As I was standing guard on the hill,

I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought,

Modern English: I looked toward Birnam, and suddenly, I thought,

The wood began to move.

Modern English: the forest began to move.

Liar and slave!

Modern English: Liar and slave!

Let me endure your wrath, if't be not so:

Modern English: Let me suffer your anger if it isn't true:

Within this three mile may you see it coming;

Modern English: you can see it coming within three miles;

I say, a moving grove.

Modern English: I'm telling you, it's a moving forest.

If thou speak'st false,

Modern English: If you are lying,

Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive,

Modern English: you will hang alive from the nearest tree

Till famine cling thee: if thy speech be sooth,

Modern English: until you starve to death. If you are telling the truth,

I care not if thou dost for me as much.

Modern English: I don't care if you do the same to me.

I pull in resolution, and begin

Modern English: My confidence is shrinking, and I'm beginning

To doubt the equivocation of the fiend

Modern English: to doubt the double-talk of the devil

That lies like truth: 'Fear not, till Birnam wood

Modern English: who lies while sounding like the truth: 'Don't be afraid until Birnam Wood

Do come to Dunsinane:' and now a wood

Modern English: comes to Dunsinane.' And now a forest

Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out!

Modern English: is coming toward Dunsinane. Put on your armor and go out!

If this which he avouches does appear,

Modern English: If what he swears is true,

There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here.

Modern English: there is no running away and no staying here.

I gin to be aweary of the sun,

Modern English: I'm starting to grow tired of the sun,

And wish the estate o' the world were now undone.

Modern English: and I wish the order of the world would fall apart.

Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack!

Modern English: Ring the alarm bell! Blow, wind! Come, ruin!

At least we'll die with harness on our back.

Modern English: At least we'll die with armor on our backs.

Exeunt

Modern English: They leave.