Song of Solomon · Chapter 3

[ edit] Þe vois of þe Chirche, gedered togidere of Jentiles. In my litle bed by niȝtis I ſoȝte, whom loouede my ſoule; I ſoȝte hym, and I fond not. I ſhal riſe, and gon aboute þe cite, bi townes and ſtretis; I ſhal ſeche, whom looueþ my ſoule; I ſoȝte hym, and foond not. Þere founden me þe waccheres, þat kepe þe cite. Þe Chirche ſeiþ of Criſt to þe Apoſtolis. Wheþer whom looueþ my ſoule, ȝee ſeȝen? A litil whan I hadde paſſed þem, I fond, whom looueþ my ſoule; I heeld hym, and I ſhal not lefe, to þe time þat I bringe hym in to þe hous of my moder, and in to þe bed of hir þat gat me. Þe vois of Criſt, of þe Chirche.

I adiure ȝou, ȝee doȝtris off Jeruſalem, bi capretis, and hertis of feeldis, ne rere ȝee, ne make ȝee my leef to wake, to þe time þat ſhe wile Þe ſinagoge of þe Chirche. What is ſhe, þis þat ſteȝeþ vp bi deſert, as a lytil ȝerde of ſmoke of þe ſwote ſpices, of myrre, and of cenſe, and of alle pymentarie poudre? Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. Lo! þe litle bed of Salamon ſixty ſtronge men cumpaſſen, of þe moſt ſtronge men of Irael; þe whyche alle ben holdende ſwerdis, and to bataile beſt taȝt; of eche on þe ſwerd vp on his hipe, for þe nyȝt dredes. Þe vois of Criſt, and of þe Chirche, choſen of Jentilis.

A chaȝer king Salamon made to hym, of þe trees of Liban; his pileris he made ſiluerene, þe lenyng place goldene, þe ſteȝing vp purper; þe myddes he enournede wiþ charite, for þe doȝtris of Jeruſalem. Þe vois of þe Chirche, of Criſt. Goþ out, and ſeeþ, ȝee doȝtris of Sion, king Salamon in þe diademe, in þe whiche crounede hym hys moder, in þe dai of ſpouſing of hym, and in þe dai of gladneſſe of his herte.