All's Well That Ends Well: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of All's Well That Ends Well from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Fool and Parolles. PAROLLES, holding out a paper Good Monsieur Lavatch, give my lord Lafew this letter. I have ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes. But I am now, sir, muddied in Fortune’s mood, and smell 5 somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.	Parolles is now living in shame as a beggar. He shows up in Roussillon and tries to get the Fool to pass a note to Lafew.
FOOL Truly, Fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish if it smell so strongly as thou speak’st of. I will henceforth eat no fish of Fortune’s butt’ring. Prithee, allow the wind. 10 PAROLLES Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir. I spake but by a metaphor. FOOL Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink I will stop my nose, or against any man’s metaphor. Prithee, get thee further. 15 PAROLLES Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper. FOOL Foh! Prithee, stand away. A paper from Fortune’s close-stool, to give to a nobleman!	The Fool isn't in the mood to play go-between. He orders Parolles to stand downwind so he doesn't have to smell him. Then, once again, he bags on his dirty clothes.
Enter Lafew. Look, here he comes himself.—Here is a purr of Fortune’s, sir, or of Fortune’s cat—but not a 20 musk-cat—that has fall’n into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure and, as he says, is muddied withal. Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may, for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my 25 smiles of comfort, and leave him to your Lordship. He exits. PAROLLES My lord, I am a man whom Fortune hath cruelly scratched. LAFEW And what would you have me to do? ’Tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you 30 played the knave with Fortune that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady and would not have knaves thrive long under her? There’s a cardecu for you. Let the justices make you and Fortune friends. I am for other business. 35 PAROLLES I beseech your Honor to hear me one single word. LAFEW You beg a single penny more. Come, you shall ha ’t. Save your word. PAROLLES My name, my good lord, is Parolles. 40 LAFEW You beg more than a word, then. Cock’s my passion; give me your hand. How does your drum? PAROLLES O my good lord, you were the first that found me. LAFEW Was I, in sooth? And I was the first that lost 45 thee. PAROLLES It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. LAFEW Out upon thee, knave! Dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? One 50 brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. Trumpets sound. The King’s coming. I know by his trumpets. Sirrah, inquire further after me. I had talk of you last night. Though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat. Go to, follow. 55 PAROLLES I praise God for you. They exit.	Lafew shows up and doesn't immediately recognize Parolles. When he does, he tells him that he deserves everything that's happened to him. Still, he takes pity on him and says they'll feed him despite what a jerk he's been.