Scene IV

[Country near Birnam Wood.]

Drum and colors. Enter Malcolm, Siward, Macduff, Siward's son, Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Soldiers marching.

MALCOLM:

Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand
That chambers will be safe.

MALCOLM:

Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand
That our homes will be safe.

MENTEITH:

We doubt it nothing.

MENTEITH:

We don’t doubt it.

SIWARD:

What wood is this before us?

SIWARD:

What wood is this before us?

MENTEITH:

The Wood of Birnam.(5)

MENTEITH:

The wood of Birnam.

MALCOLM:

Let every soldier hew him down a bough,
And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow
The numbers of our host, and make discovery
Err in report of us.

MALCOLM:

Let every soldier cut down a bough,
And hold it in front of him. That way, we shall hide
The numbers of our host and make military intelligence
Make an error in reporting our strength.

SOLDIERS:

It shall be done.(10)

SOLDIERS:

It shall be done.

SIWARD:

We learn no other but the confident tyrant
Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure
Our setting down before't.

SIWARD:

We can only learn that the confident tyrant
Still stays in Dunsinane, and will put up with
Our settling down before it.

MALCOLM:

’Tis his main hope;
For where there is advantage to be given,(15)
Both more and less have given him the revolt,
And none serve with him but constrained things
Whose hearts are absent too.

MALCOLM:

It is his only hope.
Both aristocrats and commoners have
Revolted against him.
And no one will serve with him with loyalty,
Who do not have hearts.

MACDUFF:

Let our just censures
Attend the true event, and put we on(20)
Industrious soldiership.

MACDUFF:

Let a true evaluation of the military situation
Wait until we have won the battle.

SIWARD:

The time approaches
That will with due decision make us know
What we shall say we have and what we owe.
Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate,(25)
But certain issue strokes must arbitrate;
Towards which, advance the war.

SIWARD:

The time approaches.
That will make us know, with true decision,
What we shall say we have and what we owe.
Speculation only tells about their unsure hopes;
Only a certain outcome must settle
Which direction the war will take.

Exeunt Marching.