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² O that he would kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy loue is more pleasaunt then wine, ³ and that because of the good and pleasaunt sauour of thy most precious baulmes. Thy name is a sweet smelling oyntment when it is shed foorth, therfore do the maydens loue thee.⁴ Drawe thou me [vnto thee] we wyll runne after thee. The kyng hath brought me into his priuie chaumbers: We wylbe glad and reioyce in thee, we thinke more of thy loue then of wine: they that be righteous loue thee.⁵ I am blacke (O ye daughters of Hierusalem) but yet fayre and well fauoured, like as the tentes of the Cedarenes, and as the hanginges of Solomon.⁶ Marueyle not at me that I am so blacke, for why? the sunne hath shined vpon me: my mothers chyldren haue euyll wyll at me, they made me the keper of the vineyardes, but mine owne vineyarde haue I not kept.

⁷ Tell me O thou whom my soule loueth, where thou feedest the sheepe, where thou makest them rest at the noone day: for why shall I be like hym that goeth wrong about the flockes of thy companions?⁸ If thou knowe not thy selfe (O thou fayrest among women) then go thy way foorth after the footesteppes of the sheepe, and feede thy goates besyde the shepheardes tentes.⁹ Unto the hoast of Pharaos charets haue I compared thee, O my loue.¹⁰ Thy cheekes and thy necke is beautifull as the turtles, and hanged with spanges and goodly iewels, ¹¹ a neckband of golde wyll we make thee, with siluer buttons.

¹² When the king sitteth at the table, he shall smell my Nardus: ¹³ a bundell of myrre is my loue vnto me, he wyll lye betwixt my brestes: ¹⁴ a cluster of Camphire in the vineyardes of Engaddi is my loue vnto me.¹⁵ Oh howe fayre art thou my loue, Oh howe fayre art thou? thou hast doues eyes. O howe fayre art thou my beloued, howe well fauoured art thou?¹⁶ Our bed is dect with flowres, ¹⁷ the seelinges of our house are of Cedar tree, and our crosse ioyntes of Cipresse.