第一幕第一场 (城中)口白：There was a law in the city of Athens which gave to its citizens the power of forcing their daughter s to marry whomever they pleased. For if a daughter refused to marry the man her father had chos en to be her husband, the father might by thus law cause her to be put to death.在雅典有一条法律赋予市民权力，可以强迫他们的女儿嫁给他们所喜欢的人，因此如果女儿拒绝父亲为她选的丈夫，依据这条法律，父亲可以自行判她死刑。
Egeus: Hermia, you have to marry Demetrious, the best guy in the city.荷米亚，你必须嫁给狄米崔斯，这城中最好的年轻人。
Hermia: I’m sorry, Dad! I can’t be his wife.爸爸，抱歉。
我不能成为他的妻子。
Egeus: Why do you refused to marry Demetrius? He is really a worthy gentleman!你为什麼拒绝嫁给狄米崔斯呢？他是一个真正的绅士。
Hermia: But I don’t love him. I’ve fell in love with Lysander.但是我不爱他。
我已经爱上了莱赛德。
Egeus: Lysander? Is he better than Demetrious? No!莱赛德？他会比狄米崔斯好吗？不！Hermia: Oh! Dad! Demettrious had ever said that he love my friend, Helena, and she, a sweet lady also love him deeply.喔！爸爸，狄米崔斯曾说过，他爱我的朋友——海伦娜，而这一个甜美女孩也深爱狄米崔斯。
Egeus: No matter what you say, I’ve decided to let you marry to Demetrious. I stick to do this!不管你怎麼说！我已经决定让你嫁给狄米崔斯了，我坚决这样做。
Hermia: I won’t give my heart to the person who I never like.我不愿把我的心交给一个我不曾喜欢的人。
Egeus: If you don’t marry Demetrious, I’ll use the ancient right of Athens, asking to put you to dea th according to our law! (下)如果你不嫁给狄米崔斯，根据我们的法律，我将用雅典的古律法要求判你死刑。
Hermia: Oh! Please, please do not! My dear father! Don’t you love me any more? Don’t give me u p, please!喔，不要，请不要这麼做，亲爱的父亲，你不再爱我了吗？请不要放弃我。
Lysander上场Lysander: Sweet Hermia, my love! What’s going wrong? Let me wipe your heart-breaking tears!亲爱的荷米亚，我的爱人，怎麼回事?让我擦掉你那心碎的眼泪。
Hermia: My father said that unless I marry Demetrious, or he’ll be put me to death! What can I do?我爸爸说，除非我嫁给狄米崔斯，否则他将处死我，我该怎麼办？Lysander: Fear not and hear me. Tomorrow night, I’ll wait for you in the wood a few miles outside the city. If you really love me, getting far away this sad city with me.不要害怕并听我说，明天晚上，我将在城外几哩的树林里等你，如果你真的爱我，就和我一起逃离这伤心的城市吧。
Hermia: I will because I love you so.我会的，因为我如此爱你。
Lysander: Keep promise, love. Here comes Helena and I have to go. See you tomorrow night! (下) 一言为定，爱人。
海伦娜来了，我必须走了，明晚见。
Helena上场Helena: Hello! Hermia.嗨，荷米亚。
Hermia: I’m so glad to see you, my friend!我很高兴见到你，我的朋友。
Helena: But Demetrious love you. Oh, teach me how to attract his eyes, please?但是狄米崔斯爱的是你，请教我如何吸引他的目光吧？Hermia: Take comfort, he no more shall see my face. Tomorrow night Lysander and myself will fl y this place. We’ll meet in the wood. Please pray for us and don’t tell others, good-bye! (下)放心吧，他再也不会看见我的脸了，明晚莱赛德和我将要逃离此地，我们相约在森林里见面，请你为我们祈祷，并且不要告诉其他人，再见。
Helena: I will go tell Demetrious of fair Hermia’s flight, and then he’ll pursue her. I just want to have his sight again. (下)我要去告诉狄米崔斯,美丽的荷米亚将要离开，然後他将会去追寻她，而我只是想再看见他的容貌。
第二幕第一场 (森林中)口白：The wood was a favorite meeting-place of those little, beings known by the name of fairies. Betwe en this little king and green of spirits there happened, at this time, a sad disagreement.这个树林是精灵最喜欢的聚会地点，可是仙王和仙后此时发生了严重的争吵。
Oberon: I’ll meet by moonlight, proud Titania.真不巧又在月光下遇见你，傲慢的泰妲妮亚。
Titania: What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, run hence; I have left his company.嘿，嫉妒的欧波隆，小精灵们，快跑。
我已经离开他的同伴了。
Oberon: Wait, foolish fairy, why do you oppose me so? Give me that little boy to be my slave.等一等，傻精灵，你为什麼要违抗我？让那个小男孩当我的奴隶。
Titania: Set your heart at rest, your whole fairy kingdom will not buy the boy from me. (下) 别想，你就是用整个精灵王国也买不到这个小男孩。
Oberon: Well, go your way. Before the morning dawns, I will make you suffer for this injury. Com e here, my gentle Puck.好，你走吧，在黎明之前，我一定要为这侮辱惩罚你。
我的好派克，过来。
Puck: I’m here, my lord.我在这儿，我的主人。
Oberon: Fetch me the flower which maids call Love in Idleness; the juice of that little purple flow er, laid on the eyelids of those who sleep, will make them, when they awake, love madly the first t hing they see. And before I will take this charm from off her sight, which I can do with another ch arm I know of, I will make her give that boy to be my slave.替我把少女们称做``枉费之爱``的花拿来，一旦将那紫色小花的汁液滴在睡眠者的眼皮上，当他们醒来时，便会疯狂的爱上所看到的第一件东西。
在解除这魔法之前，我要让那个小男孩当我的奴隶。
Puck: I’ll do that very well. Believe me. (下)我会办好这事的，相信我。
Oberon: But who comes here? I am invisible. And I will overhear their conference.可是谁到这儿来啦？他们看不见我，让我听一听他们说些什麼。
Demetrious和 Helena 上Demetrious: I don’t love you at all, so you don’t pursue me. Where are Lysander and fair Hermia? You told me they are there, but I can’t meet my Hermia. Go away and follow me no more.我不爱你，所以别跟著我，莱赛德和美丽的荷米亚在那儿？你告诉我，他们在这里，但是我找不到我的荷米亚。
快走，不许再跟著我。
Helena: You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant.是你吸引我的，你这硬心肠的磁石。