Shakespeare's Sonnet 146

Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,

Fool’d by these rebel powers that thee array,
Why dost thou pine within, and suffer dearth,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?

Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,
Eat up thy charge? Is this thy body's end?

Then, soul, live thou upon thy servant’s loss,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be rich no more:
     

So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
And, death once dead, there's no more dying then.

Explanation:

 

O poor soul, the center of my sinful body (earth), fooled by these rebel powers that you array (arrange in a pleasing way), why do you pine within, and suffer dearth (lack), by painting your outward walls (body) so costly gay?

Why do you spend so large cost upon your fading mansion (dwelling place – body), having so short a lease (life)? Shall worms, inheritors of this excess (i.e. residue of body) eat up your charge? Is only this your body’s end?

Then, soul, live upon (i.e. transform) your servant’s loss (i.e. body’s suffering), and let your body pine to add (aggravate) to your richness (store); buy divine terms by selling hours of dross (i.e. use efforts of body for earning divine worth), be fed within, without be rich no more (i.e. don’t try to ornament the body from outside any more).

This way you shall feed on Death, which feeds on men, and, once death is dead, then there is no more dying (that is, by willingly accepting, absorbing & transforming sufferings that life may inflict, you shall feed on death, which feeds on men, and, once you have transformed the fear of death (- that would be the death of Death), then there is no more dying).

- From the book

Sonnets of Shakespeare Explained