Macbeth Translation

Macbeth — Act 5, Scene 6

original text and modern English, side by side

The same. A Plain before the Castle · Malcolm, Siward, Macduff, Soldiers

Malcolm's army has arrived at the plain in front of Macbeth's castle, still hidden behind the branches cut from Birnam Wood. Now the soldiers throw down their camouflage and take up battle positions for the final assault on Dunsinane.

Enter, with drum and colours, Malcolm, old Siward, Macduff and their

Army, with boughs

Malcolm

Now near enough.

We're close enough now.

Your leafy screens throw down,

And show like those you are.—

Throw down your screens of leaves and show yourselves as what you really are.

You, worthy uncle,

Shall with my cousin, your right noble son,

Lead our first battle:

— You, worthy uncle, will lead our first division, together with my cousin, your noble son.

worthy Macduff and we

Shall take upon’s what else remains to do,

According to our order.

Brave Macduff and I will take on whatever else remains to be done, according to our battle plan.

Siward

Fare you well.—

Farewell.

Do we but find the tyrant’s power tonight,

Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight.

If we can just find the tyrant's army tonight, let us be beaten if we can't out-fight them.

Macduff

Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath,

Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death.

Make all our trumpets sound — give them every bit of breath you have, those loud messengers of blood and death.

Exeunt.

Macbeth Act 5, Scene 6 summary

Malcolm's army has arrived at the plain in front of Macbeth's castle, still hidden behind the branches cut from Birnam Wood. Now the soldiers throw down their camouflage and take up battle positions for the final assault on Dunsinane.

Who appears in this scene

Malcolm, Siward, Macduff, Soldiers — The same. A Plain before the Castle.

Keep reading

About this translation: the original text follows the public-domain Project Gutenberg Globe edition; the modern English translation was written in-house for Polytranslator and is reviewed on an ongoing basis (last revised August 2026). Free to print and photocopy for classroom use. Cite as: “Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 6. Polytranslator side-by-side translation, polytranslator.com/shakespeare/macbeth/act-5-scene-6.”

Studying the language itself? Our Shakespearean English course teaches thou/thee, the verbs, and the meter — free through Unit 2. Or try the Shakespearean English translator.