Song of Solomon 3
1 All through the night [while I lay] on my bed, I longed for the one whom I love. I desired for him [to come], but he did not come.
In my litle bed Y souyte hym bi niytis, whom my soule loueth; Y souyte hym, and Y foond not.
2 [So I said to myself], “I will get up now and walk around the city, through the streets and plazas, to search for the one whom I love.” [So] I [got up and] searched for him, but I could not find him.
I shal rise, and Y schal cumpasse the citee, bi litle stretis and large stretis; Y schal seke hym, whom my soule loueth; I souyte hym, and Y foond not.
3 The city watchmen saw me while they were patrolling/walking around the city. [I asked them], “Have you seen the one whom I love?”
Wakeris, that kepen the citee, founden me. Whether ye sien hym, whom my soule loueth?
4 As soon as I walked past them, I found the one whom I love. I clung to him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room where my mother had conceived me (OR, where I was born).
A litil whanne Y hadde passid hem, Y foond hym, whom my soule loueth; Y helde hym, and Y schal not leeue hym, til Y brynge him in to the hous of my modir, and in to the closet of my modir.
5 You women of Jerusalem, solemnly promise me, while the does and gazelles [are listening], that you will not disturb us while we are making love until we are ready to quit.
Ye douytris of Jerusalem, Y charge you greetli, bi the capretis, and hertis of feeldis, that ye reise not, nether make to awake the dereworthe spousesse, til sche wole.
6 Who is it that is coming from the desert, who is [stirring up dust] like a column of smoke from burning myrrh and incense [made from] spices [imported by] merchants?
Who is this womman, that stieth bi the deseert, as a yerde of smoke of swete smellynge spices, of mirre, and of encence, and of al poudur of an oynement makere?
7 It is [Solomon], [sitting in] his portable chair surrounded by 60 bodyguards chosen from the strongest/greatest warriors in Israel.
Lo! sixti stronge men of the strongeste men of Israel cumpassen the bed of Salomon; and alle thei holden swerdis,
8 They all have swords and they [all] (are trained to/know well how to) use them. Each one has his sword [strapped to] his side and [is prepared to defend Solomon from] dangers that might occur even during the night.
and ben moost witti to batels; the swerd of ech man is on his hipe, for the drede of nyytis.
9 King Solomon [commanded his servants] to make that portable chair for him; [it was made] with wood from Lebanon.
Kyng Salomon made to hym a seete, of the trees of Liban;
10 The [canopy that covered it] was (held up/supported) by posts made of silver, and the back of the chair was [embroidered] with gold. The seat/cushion was covered with purple cloth lovingly made/woven by the women of Jerusalem.
he made the pilers therof of siluer; he made a goldun restyng place, a stiyng of purpur; and he arayede the myddil thingis with charite, for the douytris of Jerusalem.
11 You women of Jerusalem, come and look at King Solomon wearing the headdress that his mother put on his head on the day when he was married, the day when he [SYN] was very happy.
Ye douytris of Sion, go out, and se kyng Salomon in the diademe, bi which his modir crownede hym, in the dai of his spousyng, and in the dai of the gladnesse of his herte.
