莎士比亚十四行诗第17首的原文如下：
Who will believe my verse in time to come,
If it were fill'd with your most high deserts？
Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb
Which hides your life and shows not half your parts.
If I could write the beauty of your eyes
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say 'This poet lies:
Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.'
So should my papers yellow'd with their age
Be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue,
And your true rights be term'd a poet's rage
And stretched metre of an antique song:
But were some child of yours alive that time,
You should live twice.
这首诗的大意是：
将来有谁会相信我的诗篇，
如果它充满了对你美善的赞言？
虽然，天知道，这诗倒像是座坟墓，
埋着你的生命和一半的本色。
如果我写得出你美目的流盼，
用清新的韵律细数你的秀妍，
恐怕将来人们一定会说这全是谎言的辞令，
天上的神笔怎会描摹凡人的面孔。
我那些写在逐渐发黄的稿纸上的诗情，
也会被庸俗的人看做嚼舌老人的悲鸣。
我对你美德的歌颂被当做诗人的抽疯，
我全部的诗也被当做言过其辞的吹捧。
但若是你的某个孩子活在那个时代，
你将会活两次。
这首诗通过对比诗人对爱人的赞美和世人可能的怀疑，表达了诗人对爱情和美的执着追求。