1 That god forbid, that made me first your slave,
May heaven forbid that I who enslaved myself to you God help me—I became your slave— enslaved to you
2 I should in thought control your times of pleasure,
Should in my mind try to govern when you take your pleasures, Should ever try to manage or question your fun, control your pleasure
3 Or at your hand th’ account of hours to crave,
Or demand from you a reckoning of how you've spent your time, Or ask you where you've been or what you've been doing. demand explanations account: reckoning, explanation.
4 Being your vassal bound to stay your leisure.
When I'm your feudal vassal, bound to your every whim. When I'm sworn to do nothing but wait for you. bound to your will leisure: convenience, will; vassal: feudal dependent.
5 O let me suffer (being at your beck)
Let me endure suffering while subject to your every gesture, Let me just suffer here, at your command, let me suffer at your command at your beck: subject to your slightest gesture.
6 Th’ imprisoned absence of your liberty,
The captive emptiness that comes from your freedom, The prison of missing you while you're out living free. locked in your absence imprisoned absence: the captive state when the beloved is absent.
7 And patience tame to sufferance bide each check,
And discipline myself to accept with patience every blow and rejection, And just bite my tongue and take every disappointment you deal me, endure every hurt patiently tame to sufferance: train into patience; check: rebuke, setback.
8 Without accusing you of injury.
Without ever blaming you for wronging me. Without ever saying you've hurt me. no accusations
Volta The volta moves from the speaker's conditions of servitude to the young man's absolute freedom: 'Be where you list, your charter is so strong.'
9 Be where you list, your charter is so strong, The young man's absolute privilege
Go where you please; your rights over me are legally absolute, You can be wherever you want—you've got every right. you have all the rights list: please; charter: legal right, privilege.
10 That you yourself may privilage your time
So that you can claim exclusive right to your own hours, So your time is completely your own, no questions asked. your time is yours alone privilege: give special right or freedom to.
11 To what you will, to you it doth belong,
To whatever you choose; it all belongs to your will, You own your own choices, full stop. your will, your choice
12 Yourself to pardon of self-doing crime.
And you can forgive yourself for any wrong you commit. You can pardon anything you do to me. forgive yourself anything pardon of self-doing crime: absolution for your own wrongdoings.
13 I am to wait, though waiting so be hell, The central paradox: waiting is hell
I am made to wait, though waiting itself is torture, So I'm stuck waiting, even though it's torture. waiting is hell
14 Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well.
Without criticizing your happiness, whatever form it takes. And I won't complain about you having fun, good or bad. can't blame your joy