Song of Solomon 2
1 I am a flour of the feeld, and a lilye of grete valeis.
I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.—
2 As a lilie among thornes, so is my frendesse among douytris.
Like the lily among the thorns, so is my beloved among the young maidens.—
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.
Like the apple-tree among the trees of the forest, so is my friend among the young men: under his shadow do I ardently wish to sit, and his fruit is sweet to my palate.
4 The king ledde me in to the wyn celer; he ordeynede charite in me.
He brought me to the banqueting-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.
Strengthen me with flagons of wine, refresh me with apples; for sick of love am I.
6 His left hond is vndur myn heed; and his riyt hond schal biclippe me.
Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right might embrace 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, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor excite my love, till it please [to come of itself].—
8 this derlyng cometh leepynge in mounteyns, and skippynge ouer litle hillis.
The voice of my friend! behold, there he cometh, leaping over the mountains, skipping over 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 friend is like a roebuck or the fawn of the hinds: behold, there he standeth behind our wall, looking in at the windows, seeing 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 friend commenced, and said unto me, Rise thee up, my beloved, my fair one, and come along.
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 its way.
12 Flouris apperiden in oure lond, the tyme of schridyng is comun; the vois of a turtle is herd in oure lond,
The flowers are seen in the land; the time of the [birds'] singing is come, and the voice of the turtle-dove 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 perfumeth its green figs, and the vines with young grapes give forth a [pleasant] smell. Arise thee, my beloved, my fair one, and come along.
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 art in the clefts of the rock, in the recesses of the cliffs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is comely.—
15 Catche ye litle foxis to vs, that destrien the vyneris; for oure vyner hath flourid.
Seize for us the foxes, the little foxes, that injure the vineyards; for our vineyards have young grapes.
16 My derlyng is to me, and Y am to hym, which is fed among lilies;
My friend is mine, and I am his—that feedeth 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 become cool, and the shadows flee away, turn about, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck or the fawn of the hinds upon the mountains of separation.
