Song of Solomon 8

1 Who `mai grante to me thee, my brother, soukynge the tetis of my modir, that Y fynde thee aloone without forth, and that Y kisse thee, and no man dispise me thanne?

Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.

2 Y schal take thee, and Y schal lede thee in to the hous of my modir, and in to the closet of my modir; there thou schalt teche me, and Y schal yyue to thee drink of wyn maad swete, and of the must of my pumgranatis.

I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.

3 His lefthond vndur myn heed, and his riythond schal biclippe me.

His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

4 Ye douytris of Jerusalem, Y charge you greetli, that ye reise not, nether make the dereworthe spousesse to awake, til sche wole.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

5 Who is this spousesse, that stieth fro desert, and flowith in delices, and restith on hir derlynge? Y reiside thee vndur a pumgranate tre; there thi modir was corrupt, there thi modir was defoulid.

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.

6 Set thou me as a signet on thin herte, as a signet on thin arm; for loue is strong as deth, enuy is hard as helle; the laumpis therof ben laumpis of fier, and of flawmes. (Sheol h7585)

Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol (Sheol h7585). Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.

7 Many watris moun not quenche charite, nether floodis schulen oppresse it. Thouy a man yyue al the catel of his hous for loue, he schal dispise `that catel as nouyt.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

8 Oure sistir is litil, and hath no tetys; what schulen we do to oure sistir, in the dai whanne sche schal be spokun to?

We have a little sister. She has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is to be spoken for?

9 If it is a wal, bilde we theronne siluerne touris; if it is a dore, ioyne we it togidere with tablis of cedre.

If she is a wall, we will build on her a turret of silver. If she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

10 I am a wal, and my tetis ben as a tour; sithen Y am maad as fyndynge pees bifore hym.

I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

11 A vyner was to the pesible; in that citee, that hath puplis, he bitook it to keperis; a man bryngith a thousynde platis of siluer for the fruyt therof.

Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

12 The vyner is bifore me; a thousynde ben of thee pesible, and two hundrid to hem that kepen the fruytis therof.

My own vineyard is before me. The thousand are for you, Solomon, two hundred for those who tend its fruit.

13 Frendis herkene thee, that dwellist in orchertis; make thou me to here thi vois.

You who dwell in the gardens, with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!

14 My derlyng, fle thou; be thou maad lijk a capret, and a calf of hertis, on the hillis of swete smellynge spices.

Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!