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¹ I am a flour of the feeld, and a lilye of grete valeis.² As a lilie among thornes, so is my frendesse among douytris.

³ As an apple tre among the trees of wodis, so my derlyng among sones.⁴ The king ledde me in to the wyn celer; he ordeynede charite in me.⁵ Bisette ye me with flouris, cumpasse ye me with applis; for Y am sijk for loue.⁶ His left hond is vndur myn heed; and his riyt hond schal biclippe 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!

⁸ this derlyng cometh leepynge in mounteyns, and skippynge ouer litle hillis.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.¹⁰ Lo! my derlyng spekith to me, My frendesse, my culuer, my faire spousesse, rise thou, haaste thou, and come thou;¹¹ for wyntir is passid now, reyn is goon, and is departid awei.¹² Flouris apperiden in oure lond, the tyme of schridyng is comun; the vois of a turtle is herd in oure lond,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.

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.¹⁵ Catche ye litle foxis to vs, that destrien the vyneris; for oure vyner hath flourid.¹⁶ My derlyng is to me, and Y am to hym, which is fed among 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.