< Song of Solomon 2 >
1 I am a flour of the feeld, and a lilye of grete valeis.
I am a rose of Sharon. A lily of the valleys.
2 As a lilie among thornes, so is my frendesse among douytris.
As a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
3 As an apple tre among the trees of wodis, so my derlyng among sones. I sat vndur the shadewe of hym, whom Y desiride; and his fruyt was swete to my throte.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 The king ledde me in to the wyn celer; he ordeynede charite in me.
He brought me to the banquet house, and his banner over me was love.
5 Bisette ye me with flouris, cumpasse ye me with applis; for Y am sijk for loue.
Sustain ye me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick from love.
6 His left hond is vndur myn heed; and his riyt hond schal biclippe me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.
7 Ye douytris of Jerusalem, Y charge you greetli, bi capretis, and hertis of feeldis, that ye reise not, nether make to awake the dereworthe spousesse, til sche wole. The vois of my derlyng; lo!
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake love, until it please.
8 this derlyng cometh leepynge in mounteyns, and skippynge ouer litle hillis.
The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9 My derlyng is lijk a capret, and a calf of hertis; lo! he stondith bihynde oure wal, and biholdith bi the wyndows, and lokith thorouy the latisis.
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind our wall. He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.
10 Lo! my derlyng spekith to me, My frendesse, my culuer, my faire spousesse, rise thou, haaste thou, and come thou;
My beloved spoke, and said to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11 for wyntir is passid now, reyn is goon, and is departid awei.
For, lo, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone.
12 Flouris apperiden in oure lond, the tyme of schridyng is comun; the vois of a turtle is herd in oure lond,
The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 the fige tre hath brouyt forth hise buddis; vyneris flourynge han youe her odour. My frendesse, my fayre spousesse, rise thou, haaste thou, and come thou.
The fig tree ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom. They give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 My culuer is in the hoolis of stoon, in the chyne of a wal with out morter. Schewe thi face to me, thi vois sowne in myn eeris; for thi vois is swete, and thi face is fair.
O my dove, who are in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place, let me see thy countenance; let me hear thy voice. For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15 Catche ye litle foxis to vs, that destrien the vyneris; for oure vyner hath flourid.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards. For our vineyards are in blossom.
16 My derlyng is to me, and Y am to hym, which is fed among lilies;
My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds among the lilies.
17 til the dai sprynge, and schadewis be bowid doun. My derlyng, turne thou ayen; be thou lijk a capret, and a calf of hertis, on the hillis of Betel.
Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.