Sonnet 142

Lyrics

Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving: O, but with mine compare thou thine own state And thou shalt find it merits not reproving; Or, if it do, not from those lips of thine That have profan'd their scarlet ornaments And seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine Robb'd others' beds' revenues of their rents Be it lawful I love thee, as thou lov'st those Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee: Root pity in thy heart, that, when it grows Thy pity may deserve to pitied be If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide By self-example mayst thou be denied!