拙译：我

另一个序幕：因有人无聊地挑刺
Another [Prologue] Occasioned by some person’s impertinent exception

对于那些为剧场写作的人来说，一切的意义
是，或者说应该是，娱乐的同时使人受益
从古到今对剧作家最高的赞誉都是，
没有真人受到毁谤，罪行却受到了惩罚。
因此，今晚我们要演出的这场剧目，
这场将要请你们聆听观看的物事，
别自我代入，别信以为真，
不然作者就要来把你评判一二；
因作者知道，诗人受奖赏
从不是因为写了真相，而是因为写了伪装成真相的东西
如果还有人蓄意
扭曲解读他的作品，
他的意图，或这些男女的话语，
那是在写毁谤文书，以他写戏的题材！
The ends of all who for the scene do write
Are, or should be, to profit and delight;
And still ’t hath been the praise of all best times,
So persons were not touched, to tax the crimes.
Then, in this play which we present tonight,
And make the object of your ear and sight,
On forfeit of yourselves, think nothing true
Lest so you make the maker to judge you;
For he knows poet never credit gained
By writing truths, but things like truths well feigned.
If any yet will, with particular sleight
Of application, wrest what he doth write,
And that he meant or him or her will say,
They make a libel which he made a play.