Song of Solomon 3
1 One night when I was lying in bed, I longed for the one I love. I longed for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
In my litle bed Y souyte hym bi niytis, whom my soule loueth; Y souyte hym, and Y foond not.
2 So I said to myself, “I will get up now and go through the city, looking in its streets and squares for the one I love.” I looked for him but I didn't find him.
I shal rise, and Y schal cumpasse the citee, bi litle stretis and large stretis; Y schal seke hym, whom my soule loueth; I souyte hym, and Y foond not.
3 The watchmen found me as they went through the city. “Have you seen the one I love?” I asked them.
Wakeris, that kepen the citee, founden me. Whether ye sien hym, whom my soule loueth?
4 Only a little farther on after I'd passed them I found my love! I held him close and would not let him go until I'd brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.
A litil whanne Y hadde passid hem, Y foond hym, whom my soule loueth; Y helde hym, and Y schal not leeue hym, til Y brynge him in to the hous of my modir, and in to the closet of my modir.
5 Women of Jerusalem, swear to me by the gazelles or the wild deer that you won't disturb our love until the right time.
Ye douytris of Jerusalem, Y charge you greetli, bi the capretis, and hertis of feeldis, that ye reise not, nether make to awake the dereworthe spousesse, til sche wole.
6 Who is this coming in from the wilderness like a plume of smoke, like a burning sacrifice scented with myrrh and frankincense, with all kinds of imported perfumed powders?
Who is this womman, that stieth bi the deseert, as a yerde of smoke of swete smellynge spices, of mirre, and of encence, and of al poudur of an oynement makere?
7 Look, it's Solomon's sedan chair, accompanied by sixty of Israel's best warriors.
Lo! sixti stronge men of the strongeste men of Israel cumpassen the bed of Salomon; and alle thei holden swerdis,
8 All of them are expert swordsmen who have battle experience. They each carry a sword strapped to the thigh, ready for any night-time attacks.
and ben moost witti to batels; the swerd of ech man is on his hipe, for the drede of nyytis.
9 (Solomon's sedan chair was made for him with wood from Lebanon.
Kyng Salomon made to hym a seete, of the trees of Liban;
10 Its posts were covered in silver, and the back was covered in gold. The seat cushion was purple. The interior was lovingly decorated.) Women of Jerusalem,
he made the pilers therof of siluer; he made a goldun restyng place, a stiyng of purpur; and he arayede the myddil thingis with charite, for the douytris of Jerusalem.
11 come out! Look, women of Zion! See King Solomon wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head on his wedding day, his happiest day.
Ye douytris of Sion, go out, and se kyng Salomon in the diademe, bi which his modir crownede hym, in the dai of his spousyng, and in the dai of the gladnesse of his herte.
