All's Well That Ends Well: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

Enter Helen with a paper, and Fool.

HELEN My mother greets me kindly. Is she well?

FOOL She is not well, but yet she has her health. She’s
very merry, but yet she is not well. But, thanks be
given, she’s very well and wants nothing i’ th’ world,
but yet she is not well. 5

HELEN If she be very well, what does she ail that she’s
not very well?

FOOL Truly, she’s very well indeed, but for two things.

HELEN What two things?

FOOL One, that she’s not in heaven, whither God send 10
her quickly; the other, that she’s in Earth, from
whence God send her quickly.

Enter Parolles.

PAROLLES Bless you, my fortunate lady.

HELEN I hope, sir, I have your good will to have mine
own good fortunes. 15

PAROLLES You had my prayers to lead them on, and to
keep them on have them still.—O my knave, how
does my old lady?

FOOL So that you had her wrinkles and I her money, I
would she did as you say. 20

PAROLLES Why, I say nothing.

FOOL Marry, you are the wiser man, for many a man’s
tongue shakes out his master’s undoing. To say
nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, and to
have nothing is to be a great part of your title, 25
which is within a very little of nothing.

PAROLLES Away. Thou ’rt a knave.

FOOL You should have said, sir, “Before a knave,
thou ’rt a knave”; that’s “Before me, thou ’rt a
knave.” This had been truth, sir. 30

PAROLLES Go to. Thou art a witty fool. I have found
thee.

FOOL Did you find me in yourself, sir, or were you
taught to find me?

PAROLLES …

FOOL The search, sir, was profitable, and much fool 35
may you find in you, even to the world’s pleasure
and the increase of laughter.

PAROLLES A good knave, i’ faith, and well fed.
Madam, my lord will go away tonight;
A very serious business calls on him. 40
The great prerogative and rite of love,
Which as your due time claims, he does acknowledge
But puts it off to a compelled restraint,
Whose want and whose delay is strewed with sweets,
Which they distill now in the curbèd time 45
To make the coming hour o’erflow with joy
And pleasure drown the brim.

HELEN What’s his will else?

PAROLLES
That you will take your instant leave o’ th’ King
And make this haste as your own good proceeding, 50
Strengthened with what apology you think
May make it probable need.

HELEN What more commands he?

PAROLLES
That, having this obtained, you presently
Attend his further pleasure. 55

HELEN
In everything I wait upon his will.

PAROLLES I shall report it so.

Parolles exits.

HELEN, to Fool I pray you, come, sirrah.

They exit.