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¹ Thou faireste of wymmen, whidur yede thi derlyng? whidur bowide thi derlyng? and we schulen seke hym with thee.² My derlyng yede doun in to his orcherd, to the gardyn of swete smellynge spices, that he be fed there in orcherdis, and gadere lilyes.³ Y to my derlyng; and my derlyng, that is fed among the lilies, be to me.

⁴ Mi frendesse, thou art fair, swete and schappli as Jerusalem, thou art ferdful as the scheltrun of oostis set in good ordre.⁵ Turne awei thin iyen fro me, for tho maden me to fle awei; thin heeris ben as the flockis of geet, that apperiden fro Galaad.⁶ Thi teeth as a flok of scheep, that stieden fro waischyng; alle ben with double lambren, `ether twynnes, and no bareyn is among tho. ⁷ As the rynde of a pumgranate, so ben thi chekis, without thi priuytees.⁸ Sixti ben queenys, and eiyti ben secundarie wyues; and of yong damesels is noon noumbre.⁹ Oon is my culuer, my perfit spousesse, oon is to hir modir, and is the chosun of hir modir; the douytris of Syon sien hir, and prechiden hir moost blessid; queenys, and secundarie wyues preisiden hir.¹⁰ Who is this, that goith forth, as the moreutid risynge, fair as the moone, chosun as the sunne, ferdful as the scheltrun of oostis set in good ordre?

¹¹ Y cam doun in to myn orcherd, to se the applis of grete valeis, and to biholde, if vyneris hadden flourid, and if pumgranate trees hadden buriowned.¹² Y knew not; my soule disturblide me, for the charis of Amynadab.¹³ Turne ayen, turne ayen, thou Sunamyte; turne ayen, turne ayen, that we biholde thee. What schalt thou se in the Sunamyte, no but cumpenyes of oostis?