Song of Solomon · Chapter 5

[ edit] Þe Chirche ſeiþ of Criſt. Come, my leef, in to his gardyn; and ete he þe frut of his appelis. Criſt ſeiþ to þe Chirche. Cum in to my gardin, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe. I haue gedered my mirre, wiþ my ſwoote ſpices; I eet myn honycomb, wiþ myn hony; I dranc my wyn, wiþ my mylc. Criſt to þe Apoſtolis ſeiþ. Eteþ, ȝee frendes, and drinkeþ; and ȝee moſt derwrþe, beþ inwardli maad drunke. I ſlepe, and myn herte wakeþ. Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. Þe vois of my lemman knockende; opene þou to me, myn ſiſter, my leef, my culuer, myn vnwemed; for myn hed is ful of dew, and my temple heres of þe dropis of nyȝtis. I ſpoilede me my coote; hou ſhal I be clad it?

I weſh my feet; hou ſhal I defoule þem? My lemman putte his hond bi þe hole; my wombe inwardli tremblede at þe touching of hym. I ros, þat I ſhulde opene to my lemman; myn hondis droppeden mirre, and my fingres ful of beſt proued myrre. Þe lach of my dore I openede to my lemman; and he hadde bowid aſide, and paſſede. My ſoule is molten, as my lemman ſpac; I ſoȝte, and I fond not hym; I clepede, and he anſwerde not to me. Þer founden me þe keperes þat gon aboute þe cite; þei ſmyten me, and woundeden me; token my mantil þe keperes of þe wallis. I adiure ȝou, ȝee doȝtris of Jeruſalem, if ȝee ſhul finde my lemman, þat ȝee telle to hym, for I languyſſhe for looue.

Þe vois of frendis ſeiþ to þe chirche. Whiche is þi lemman of þe looued, O! þou moſt fair of wymmen? whiche is þi lemman of þe looued? for ſo þou haſt adiurid vs. Þe vois of þe chirche of Criſt ſeiþ to þe frendis. My lemman whit and roody; choſen of þouſendis. His hed beſt gold; his her as braunchis of palmes þicke lefed, blac as a crowe. Hys eȝen as culueres vp on litle ryueres of watris, þat ben waſſhe wiþ mylc, and ſitten bi þe moſt ful flowingus of watris. Þe chekes of hym as litle flores of ſwote ſpicis, plaunted of pymentaries; his lippis droppende þe firſt myrre. Þe hondis of hym able to turnen aboute, goldene, and ful of iacynctis; his wombe is yuerene, departid bi ſafiris.

His hipis marbil pileres, þat ben foundid vpon goldene feet; his fairneſſe as of Liban, and choſen as of cedre. Þe þrote of hym moſt ſweete, and he al deſirable. Such is my looued, and þis is my lemman, ȝee doȝtris of Jeruſalem.