Song of Solomon 1
The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Kisse he me with the cos of his mouth. For thi tetis ben betere than wyn,
Oh that he might kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy caresses are more pleasant than wine.
3 and yyuen odour with beste oynementis. Thi name is oile sched out; therfor yonge damesels loueden thee.
To the smell are thy fragrant oils pleasant, [like] precious oil poured forth is thy name [famous afar]: therefore do maidens love thee.
4 Drawe thou me after thee; we schulen renne in to the odour of thin oynementis. The kyng ledde me in to hise celeris; we myndeful of thi teetis aboue wyn, schulen make ful out ioye, and schulen be glad in thee; riytful men louen thee.
Oh draw me, after thee will we run: the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will recall thy caresses, more [pleasant] than wine; without deceit [all] love thee.—
5 Ye douytris of Jerusalem, Y am blak, but fair, as the tabernaclis of Cedar, as the skynnes of Salomon.
Black am I, yet comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Nyle ye biholde me, that Y am blak, for the sunne hath discolourid me; the sones of my modir fouyten ayens me, thei settiden me a kepere in vyners; Y kepte not my vyner.
Look not so at me, because I am somewhat black, because the sun hath looked fiercely at me: my mother's children were angry with me; they appointed me to be keeper of the vineyards; but my vineyard, which is my own, have I not kept.—
7 Thou spouse, whom my soule loueth, schewe to me, where thou lesewist, where thou restist in myddai; lest Y bigynne to wandre, aftir the flockis of thi felowis.
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest? where lettest thou thy flock rest at noon? for why should I appear like a veiled mourner by the flocks of thy companions?—
8 A! thou fairest among wymmen, if thou knowist not thi silf, go thou out, and go forth aftir the steppis of thi flockis; and feede thi kidis, bisidis the tabernaclis of scheepherdis.
If thou knowest this not, O thou fairest of women, go but forth in the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids around the shepherds' dwellings.—
9 Mi frendesse, Y licnede thee to myn oost of knyytis in the charis of Farao.
Unto the horse in Pharaoh's chariot do I compare thee, my beloved.
10 Thi chekis ben feire, as of a turtle; thi necke is as brochis.
Comely are thy cheeks between strings [of pearls], thy neck with rows [of jewels].
11 We schulen make to thee goldun ournementis, departid and maad dyuerse with silver.
Chains of gold will we make for thee with studs of silver.—
12 Whanne the kyng was in his restyng place, my narde yaf his odour.
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth its [pleasant] smell.
13 My derlyng is a bundel of myrre to me; he schal dwelle bitwixe my tetis.
A bundle of myrrh is my friend unto me, that resteth on my bosom.
14 My derlyng is to me a cluster of cipre tre, among the vyneres of Engaddi.
A copher-cluster is my friend unto me in the vineyards of 'En-gedi.—
15 Lo! my frendesse, thou art fair; lo! thou art fair, thin iyen ben the iyen of culueris.
Lo, thou art beautiful, my beloved: lo, thou art beautiful: thy eyes are those of a dove.—
16 Lo, my derling, thou art fair, and schapli; oure bed is fair as flouris.
Lo, thou art beautiful, my friend, also pleasant: also our couch is [made in the] green [wood].
17 The trees of oure housis ben of cedre; oure couplis ben of cipresse.
The beams of our houses are cedars and our wainscoting of cypress-trees.
