1 So am I as the rich whose blessed key,
So I am like the wealthy person with the blessed key, I'm like a rich person with a key to treasure, i'm like the rich who hoards
2 Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure,
That unlocks his carefully secured beloved treasure, that opens their precious locked-up vault, to reach what's locked away 'Up-locked' = locked up, secured; 'sweet' emphasizes the tenderness of guardianship.
3 The which he will not every hour survey,
Which they do not examine every hour, which they don't look at constantly, never checked all the time 'Survey' = examine, contemplate; the wealthy person practices restraint even with access.
4 For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure.
For fear of dulling the sharpness of rare joy. to keep the thrill of seeing it special, to keep the joy sharp 'Blunting the fine point' = dulling the sharpness; 'seldom pleasure' = joy derived from rarity.
5 Therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare,
Therefore feasts are so ceremonial and uncommon, that's why celebrations are so special and rare, feasts are rare and sacred 'Solemn' = serious, ceremonious; feasts matter because they occur infrequently.
6 Since seldom coming in that long year set,
Since they come but seldom in the long year's span, happening only occasionally throughout the year, scattered through the year
7 Like stones of worth they thinly placed are,
Like precious stones they are spaced thinly, like jewels set far apart, precious stones placed far apart 'Stones of worth' = precious gems; their arrangement (sparse) mirrors the calendar's spacing of feasts.
8 Or captain jewels in the carcanet.
Or chief jewels in an ornamental necklace. like the main stones in a necklace, chief jewels in a necklace 'Captain jewels' = the most important stones; 'carcanet' = an ornamental collar/necklace. Each jewel stands out by spacing.
Volta The volta shifts from the speaker's hoarding solitude to the paradox that the beloved's absence creates conditions for both exceptional joy and genuine hope.
9 So is the time that keeps you as my chest
So is the time that holds you as my treasure chest, time is the safe that keeps you locked away, time holds you like a chest Time functions as the lock/chest that prevents constant access; it is the mechanism of separation.
10 Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide,
Or like a wardrobe that hides the precious robe, or like a closet that keeps a dress hidden, like a wardrobe hiding precious clothes Extended metaphor: the robe (beloved) is hidden by the wardrobe (time/distance), making it precious when revealed.
11 To make some special instant special-blest,
To make each special moment extraordinarily blessed, so that certain moments become especially sacred, making moments extra blessed
12 By new unfolding his imprisoned pride.
By newly revealing your beauty held in captivity. when it's revealed fresh, like beauty released from prison, unveiling imprisoned beauty 'Imprisoned pride' = the beloved's beauty/worth, held in captivity by time/distance; release (reunion) makes it shine anew.
13 Blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope,
Blessed are you whose worth permits possibility, you're blessed—your value allows both joy and longing, blessed is your worthy nature 'Scope' = room, range of possibility; the beloved's worthiness permits both absence and presence to be meaningful.
14 Being had to triumph, being lacked to hope. The resolution of the absence cycle: meaning through both presence and deprivation
Possessed to bring triumph, absent to bring hope. so that having you brings joy, and lacking you brings longing. present is triumph, absent is hope The couplet's wisdom: the beloved's worth permits both reunion and separation to be emotionally full. Neither presence nor absence is wasted.