Love is my sin ~ William Shakespeare

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 profaned 
their scarlet ornaments

And sealed false bonds 
of love as oft as mine,

Robbed 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!



                                    ~William Shakespeare