Here is the line-by-line paraphrase of the Prince of Morocco’s monologue from The Merchant of Venice (Act 2, Scene 1), with Portia’s struck-through lines omitted:

Original: Mislike me not for my complexion,
Modern: Don’t judge me or think less of me because of the color of my skin,

Original: The shadow’d livery of the burnish’d sun,
Modern: This dark complexion is like a uniform given to me by the blazing sun,

Original: To whom I am a neighbour and near bred.
Modern: Because I was born and raised close to where the sun shines its strongest.

Original: Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Modern: Bring me the fairest, palest person born in the coldest northern lands,

Original: Where Phoebus’ fire scarce thaws the icicles,
Modern: Where even the sun’s heat can barely melt the ice,

Original: And let us make incision for your love,
Modern: And let us each cut ourselves open to prove our worth for your love,

Original: To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine.
Modern: To show whose blood runs redder and stronger — his or mine.

Original: I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine
Modern: I’m telling you, my lady, this appearance of mine —

Original: Hath fear’d the valiant: by my love I swear
Modern: Has made even the bravest men afraid. I swear on my love for you,

Original: The best-regarded virgins of our clime
Modern: The most admired and sought-after women in my country

Original: Have loved it too: I would not change this hue,
Modern: Have loved my appearance too. I would not change the color of my skin,

Original: Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.
Modern: Unless doing so could win your heart and make you think of me, my dear lady.

Original: Even for that I thank you:
Modern: I thank you sincerely for those kind words.

Original: Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
Modern: So please, I’m asking you — lead me to the caskets

Original: To try my fortune. By this scimitar
Modern: So I can test my luck. I swear by this curved sword of mine —

Original: That slew the Sophy and a Persian prince
Modern: The very sword that killed the Shah of Persia and a Persian prince,

Original: That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,
Modern: And won three battles against the mighty Sultan Suleiman —

Original: I would outstare the sternest eyes that look,
Modern: I would stare down the most intimidating and fearless eyes in the world,

Original: Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth,
Modern: I would out-courage the boldest heart alive,

Original: Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she-bear,
Modern: I would snatch nursing cubs right from a mother bear,

Original: Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
Modern: Yes, I would even taunt a lion in the middle of its hunt,

Original: To win thee, lady. But, alas the while!
Modern: All of this, just to win you, my lady. But sadly,

Original: If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Modern: If the great hero Hercules and his simple servant Lichas roll dice against each other,

Original: Which is the better man, the greater throw
Modern: To see who is the better man, the winning roll

Original: May turn by fortune from the weaker hand:
Modern: Could end up belonging to the weaker of the two, just by chance.

Original: So is Alcides beaten by his page;
Modern: And so even mighty Hercules himself could be beaten by his lowly attendant.

Original: And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Modern: In the same way, I too — guided by blind, unpredictable luck —

Original: Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
Modern: Might fail to win what someone far less deserving could walk away with,

Original: And die with grieving.
Modern: And that thought alone would be enough to kill me with sorrow.

In Act 2, Scene 1 of “The Merchant of Venice,” the Prince of Morocco arrives at Belmont to attempt the casket challenge for Portia’s hand in marriage. He begins by acknowledging his dark complexion, asking Portia not to judge him by his skin color, as he is as valorous and noble as any pale-skinned northern suitor. Morocco boasts of his courage and accomplishments, claiming he has been feared by the bravest men and has won the affections of the finest maidens in his land. He declares that he would not change his complexion except to win Portia’s favor, and challenges any suitor to prove themselves worthier by drawing blood to see whose is redder.

Portia responds diplomatically, stating that she is not led solely by the direction of her eyes in matters of the heart, and that in any case, she is bound by the terms of her father’s will and cannot choose her husband freely. She assures Morocco that he stands as fair a chance as any suitor who has come to try the lottery of the caskets. Morocco must swear an oath before attempting the challenge: if he chooses incorrectly, he must never reveal which casket he selected, must depart immediately, and must never afterward propose marriage to any woman. Morocco readily accepts these conditions and agrees to take the oath before dinner, after which he will make his attempt at the casket test.

The Merchant of Venice centers on Bassanio, a young Venetian gentleman who needs money to court the wealthy heiress Portia in Belmont. His friend Antonio, a merchant, agrees to help but has no ready cash since his ships are at sea. Antonio borrows 3,000 ducats from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, with the unusual condition that if the loan isn’t repaid within three months, Shylock may take a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Meanwhile, Shylock’s daughter Jessica elopes with the Christian Lorenzo, taking her father’s money and jewels.

In Belmont, Portia’s deceased father has decreed that her suitors must choose correctly among three caskets—gold, silver, and lead—to win her hand. The Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon both choose incorrectly and depart. When Bassanio arrives and selects the lead casket, he wins Portia, while his friend Gratiano wins her maid Nerissa. Their celebrations are interrupted by news that Antonio’s ships have been lost and Shylock demands his pound of flesh.

Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves as a lawyer and clerk and travel to Venice for Antonio’s trial. In court, Portia grants Shylock his legal right to the flesh but warns he may take no blood and must cut exactly one pound—an impossible task. Defeated, Shylock loses his bond and, under Venetian law, must forfeit half his wealth and convert to Christianity. The disguised Portia requests Bassanio’s wedding ring as payment, which he reluctantly gives. Back in Belmont, Portia playfully scolds her husband for giving away his ring before revealing her disguise. The play concludes with news that Antonio’s ships have safely returned, restoring his fortune.