Sonnet 96

Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness;Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport;Both grace and faults are lov'd of more and less:Thou mak'st faults graces that to thee resort. 4As on the finger of a throned queenThe basest jewel will be well esteem'd,So are those errors that in thee are seenTo truths translated and for true things deem'd. 8How many lambs might the stern wolf betray,If like a lamb he could his looks translate!How many gazers mightst thou lead away,If thou wouldst use the strength of all thy state! 12But do not so; I love thee in such sort,As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

3 more and less: high and low8 translated: changed12 state: grandeur, beauty (?)13, 14 Cf. n.