# Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Songus of Songis

Heer gynneþ þe booc þat is clepid Songus of Songis, of þe bridalis of Criſt and of þe Chirche.

## Capitulum I.

Þe Chirche, of þe comyng of Criſt ſpekiþ, ſeiende, Kiſſe he me wiþ þe cos of his mowþ. Þe vois of þe Fader.For betere ben þi tetes þan wyn, ſmellende wiþ beſt oynemens. Þe vois of þe Chirche. Oile held out, þi name; þerfore þe ȝunge waxende wymmen looueden þee ful myche. Þe vois of þe Chirche to Criſt. Draȝ me aftir þee; wee ſhul rennen in þe ſmel of þin oynemens. Þe Chirche ſeiþ of Criſt. Broȝte me in þe king in to his celeris; wee ſhul ful out ioȝen, and gladen in þee, myndeful of þi tetes, vp on wyn; riȝt men loouen þee. Þe Chirche of hir tribulaciouns. O! ȝee doȝtris of Jeruſalem, blac I am, but ſhapli, as þe tabernacles of Cedar, as þe ſkynnes of Salamon. Wileþ not beholden, þat I be broun, for diſcoloured me haþ þe ſunne; þe ſonus of my moder foȝten aȝen me, þei ſetteden me kepere in vynes; my vyneȝerd I kepte not. Þe vois of þe Chirche to Criſt. Shew þou to me, whom looueþ my ſoule, wher þou ȝiueſt leſwe, wher þou ligge in myddai; leſt to gon vagaunt I bygynne, aftir þe flockis of þi felawis. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. If þou knoweſt not þee, O! þou moſt fair among wymmen, go out, and go awei after þe ſteppis of þi flockis; and feed þi got, biſide þe tabernaclis of ſhepperdis. To my riding in charis of Farao I licnede þee, O! my leef. Faire ben þi cheekes, as of a turtil; þi necke as brooches. Goldene ribanes wee ſhul make to þee, mad fijr red wiþ ſiluer. Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. Whan þe king was in his liyng place, my mad encens ȝaf his ſmel. A bundel of myrre my lemman is to me; betwe my tetes he ſhal dwelle. Þe cluſtre of cipre tree my lemman to me, in þe vynes of Engaddy. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. Lo! þou art fair, my leef; lo! þou fair, þin eȝen of culueres. Þe vois of þe Chirche to Criſt. Lo! þou art fair, my lemman, and ſemeli; oure bed ſhynende. Þe trees of oure houſes cedre; oure couplis cipreſſe.

## Capitulum II.

Þe vois of Criſt, of hym and of þe Chirche. I þe flour of þe feeld, and þe lilie of aleyes. As a lilie among þornes, ſo my leef among doȝtres. Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. As an appil tree among þe trees of wodis, ſo my lemman among ſones. Vnder þe ſhadewe of hym, whom I hadde deſirid, I ſat; and his frut ſweete to my þrote. Þe king ledde me in his win celer; he ordeynde in me charite. Vnder ley ȝee me wiþ floures, ſetteþ me aboute wiþ appelis; for I languyſhe for looue. Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. Þe lift hond of hym vnder myn hed; and his riȝt hond ſhal clippe me. Þe vois of Criſt, of þe Chirche. I adiure ȝou, ȝee doȝtris of Jeruſalem, bi þe capretes, and þe hertes of feeldis, ne rere ȝee, ne makeþ my leef to waken, to þe time þat ſhe wile. Þe vois of þe Chirche, of Criſt. Þe vois of my lemman; lo! þis comeþ lepende in mounteynes, and ouer lepende hillis. Lic is my lemman to a capret, and to an hert calf of hertis; lo! he ſtant bihynde oure wal, biholdende bi þe windowes, aferr lookende þurȝ þe latiſes. Lo! my lemman ſpekeþ to me, Ris, go þou, my leef, my culuer, my ſhapli, and cum; now forſoþe wintre paſſede, weder ȝide fro, and is gon awei. Floures apereden in oure lond, time of kutting is come; þe vois of þe turtil is herd in oure lond, þe fige tree broȝte forþ his firſt figus; þe vynes flourende ȝiuen þer ſmel. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. Ris, go, my leef, myn ſhapli, and cum þou. My culuer in þe holis of þe ſton, in þe chyne of a ſton wal. Shewe þou to me þi face, ſoune þi vois in myn eres; þi vois forſoþe is ſwete, and þi face ſemeli. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche, aȝen eretikis. Take ȝee to vs litle foxes, þat deſtroȝen vynes; for oure vyne flourede. Þe vois of þe Chirche of Criſt. My looued to me, and I to hym, þat is fed among lilies; to þe time þat þe dai ſpringe, and ſhadewes be bowid in. Turne aȝeen; lic be þou, O! my lemman, to a capret, and to þe hert calf of hertis, vpon þe mounteynes of Beþel.

## Capitulum III.

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.

## Capitulum IIII.

Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. Hou fair art þou, my leef, hou fair art þou; þin eȝen of culueres, wiþoute it þat wiþynne forþ is hid; þin heres as þe flockes of get, þat ſteȝeden vp fro þe hil of Galaad. Þi teþ as þe flockys of clippid ſheep, þat ſteȝeden vp fro þe waſſhing place; alle wiþ double lombis in þe wombe, and bareyn þer is not among hem. As a fyr red ſilkene filet þi lippes, and þi faire ſpeche ſweete; as þe breking of a poumgarnet, ſo þi chekes, wiþoute it, þat wiþinne forþ ſit hid. As þe tour of Dauid þi necke, þat is bild out wiþ pynacles; a þouſend ſheldis hangen of it, al þe armoure of ſtronge men. Þi two tetes as two ȝunge capretes, twynlingus of þe capret, þat ben fed in lilies, to þe time þat þe dai breþe out, and þe ſhadewes ben inbowed. I ſhal go to þe mount of mirre, and to þe hil of cens. Al fair þou art, my leef, and wem is not in þee. Cum þou fro Liban, my ſpouſe; cum from Liban, cum; þou ſhalt be crouned fro þe hed of Amana, fro þe frount of Samur and of Ermon, fro þe couches of leouns, and þe hil of pardis. Þou haſt woundid myn herte, my ſiſter; my ſpouſe, þou haſt woundid my herte, in oon of þin eȝen, and in oon her of þi necke. Hou faire ben þi tetes, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe; fairere ben þi tetes þan win, and þe ſmel of þin oynemens ouer alle ſpices. A droppende honycomb þi lippes, ſpouſe; hony and mylc vnder þi tunge, and þe ſmel of þi cloþingus as þe ſmel of cens. A cloſid gardin, my ſiſter ſpouſe; a cloſid gardyn, a welle ſelid. Þin outſendingus paradis of poungarnetes, wiþ þe frutis of appilis, of cipre tre, wiþ narde; and narde, and ſafrun, fiſtula, and canel, wiþ alle þe trees of Liban, myrre, and aloes, wiþ alle þe firſte oynemens. Þe welle of gardynes, þe pit of liuende watris, þat flowen wiþ bire fro Liban. Ris, norþ, and cum, ſouþ; bloȝ þurȝ my gardyn, and þer ſhul flowe ſwote ſpices of it.

## Capitulum V.

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.

## Capitulum VI.

Þe vois of holi ſoules, of þe Chirche. Whider ȝide awei þi lemman, O! þou moſt fair of wymmen? whider bowede doun þi leef? and wee ſhul ſechen hym wiþ þee. Þe vois of þe Chirche, of Criſt. My leef wente doun in to his gardeyn, to þe flor of ſwote ſpices, þat þere he be fed in þe gardynes, and lilies he gedere. I to my leef; and myn leef to me, þat is fed among lilies. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. Fair þou art, my leef, ſweete and fair as Jeruſalem, ferful as þe ſheltrun of tentes ordeyned. Turne awey þin eȝen fro me, for þei maden me to fleen awei; þin heres as þe flockis of ſhe got, þat aperede fro Galaad. Þi teþ as a floc of ſhep, þat ſteȝeden vp fro þe waſſhing place; alle wiþ double frut of wombe, and barein þere is not in hem. As þe rinde of poungarnet, ſo þi chekes, wiþoute þin hid þingus. Sixty ben quenes, and eiȝeti ben ſecundarie wifes; and of ȝunge waxen wymmen þer is no noumbre. Oon is my culuer, my parfit, oon is to hir moder, choſen of hir þat gat hir; þer ſeeȝen hir þe doȝtris of Sion, and moſt blisful precheden; þe quenes, and þe ſecundarie wifes preyſeden hir. What is ſhe þis, þat goþ forþ as morutid riſing, fair as þe moone, choſen as þe ſunne, ferful as of tentes ſheltrun ordeyned? Þe vois of þe Chirche, of þe ſinagoge. I wente doun in to my gardyn, þat I ſhulde ſeen þe appelis of aleies, and beholde, if þe vynes hadden floured, and þe poungarnetis hadden buriouned. I wiſte not; myn ſoule diſturbide me, for þe foure horſid cartis of Amynadab. Þe vois of þe Chirche, of þe feiþ of þe natiuite. Turne aȝeen, turne aȝeen, Sunamytis; turne aȝeen, turne aȝeen, þat wee byholde þee. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche, of þe ſynagoge. What ſhalt þou ſeen in Sunamyte, but queres of tentes?

## Capitulum VII.

Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. Hou faire ben þi goingus in ſhon, þou doȝter of þe prince; þe ioyntures of þin hipes as brooches, þat ben forgid wiþ þe hond of þe craftiſman. Þi nauele a turned cuppe, neuere nedende drinkes; þi wombe as an hep of whete, ſet about wiþ lilies. Þi two tetus as two range capretis, iemews of þe ſhe capret. Þi necke as an yuerene tour; þin eȝen as þe cyſternis in Eſebon, þat ben in þe ȝate of þe doȝter of þe multitude; þi noſe as þe tour of Liban, þat beholdiþ aȝen Damaſch. Þin hed as Carmel; þin heres of þin hed as þe purper of þe king, ioyned to water pipes. Hou fair þou art, and hou ſemeli, þou moſt derwrþe in delices. Þi ſtature is licned to a palm, and þi tetes to cluſtris. Criſt of þe holi cros ſeiþ. I ſeide, I ſhal ſteȝen in to a palm tree, and I ſhal take þe frutis of it. Þe vois of Criſt to þe Chirche. And þi tetes ſhul ben as þe cluſtris of a vyne; and þe ſmel of þi mouþ as þe ſmel of appelis, and þi þrote as beſt wyn. Þe Chirche ſeiþ of Criſt. Wrþi to my leef to drinken, to þe lippes and to þe teþ of hym to chewen. I to my leef, and to me þe turnyng of hym. Þe vois of þe Chirche to Criſt. Cum, my leef, go wee out in to þe feeld; dwelle wee togidere in tounes. Erli riſe wee to þe vyne; ſee wee, if þe vyne flourede, if þe floures frutes bringe forþ, if þe poumgarnetes floureden; þere I ſhal ȝiue to þee my tetes. Þe mandrages ȝeuen þer ſmel in oure ȝates; alle appelis, newe and olde, my leef, I kepte to þee.

## Capitulum VIII.

Þe vois of patriarkis, of Criſt. Who to me ȝyueþ þee, my broþer, ſoukende þe tetes of my moder, þat I finde þee alone wiþoute forþ, and kiſſe þee, and now me no man diſpiſe? I ſhal take þee, and leden in to þe hous of my moder, and in to þe bed place of hir þat gat me; þere þou ſhalt teche me, and I ſhal ȝyue to þee drinken of ſpiced win, and of þe muſt of my poumgarnetes. Þe lift hond of hym vnder myn hed, and þe riȝt hond of hym ſhal clippe me. Þe vois of Criſt, of þe Chirche. I adiure ȝou, ȝee doȝtris of Jeruſalem, ne rere ȝee, ne makeþ to waken my leef, to þe time þat ſhe wile. Þe vois of þe ſinagoge, of þe Chirche. What is ſhe þis, þat ſteȝeþ vp fro deſert, flowende delices, faſte cleuende vpon hir leef? Þe vois of Criſt to þe ſinagoge, of þe holi cros. Vndir an apil tree I rerede þee; þere ſhent is þi moder, þere defoulid is ſhe þat gat þee. Put me as a brooche vpon þin herte, as a brooche vpon þin arm; for ſtrong is as deþ looue, hard as helle ielouſneſſe; þe laumpis of it þe laumpes of fir, and of flaumes. Manye watris ſhul not moun quenchen out charite, ne flodis ſhul not þrowen it doun. If a man ȝeue al þe ſubſtaunce of his hous for looue, as noȝt he diſpiſiþ it. Þe vois of Criſt to þe ſinagoge, of þe holi Chirche. Oure ſiſter a litil child, and tetes ſhe haþ not; what ſhul wee do to oure ſiſter, in þe dai whan ſhe is to ben ſpoken to? If a wal ſhe is, bilde wee vp on it ſiluerene pynaclis; if a dore ſhe is, ioyne wee it wiþ ceder tables. Þe vois of þe Chirche anſwerende. I a wal, and my tetes as a tour; ſiþen I am mad befor þee as pes reſceyuende. Þe ſinagoge of þe Chirche ſeiþ. A vyne ſhe was to þe peſible; in hir þat haþ puples, ſhe toc it to þe keperes; a man takeþ awei for þe frut of it a þouſend ſiluer plates. Criſt to þe Chirche ſeiþ. My vine bifor me is; a þouſend þi peſiblis, and two hundrid to þem þat kepen þe frutis of it. Þe whiche dwelliſt in gardynes, frendis herknen þee; mac me to heren þi vois. Þe vois of þe Chirche to Criſt. Flee þou, my leef; be þou licned to a capret, and to an hert calf of hertes, vp on þe mounteynes of ſwote ſpices.