Study Desk

Therfor Y preysid gladnesse, that no good was to a man vndur the sunne, no but to ete, and drynke, and to be ioiful; and that he schulde bere awei with hym silf oneli this of his trauel, in the daies of his lijf, whiche God yaf to hym vndur the sunne.

A man knowith not his ende; but as fischis ben takun with an hook, and as briddis ben takun with a snare, so men ben takun in yuel tyme, whanne it cometh sudeynli on hem.

And a pore man and a wijs was foundun ther ynne; and he delyuerede the citee bi his wisdom, and no man bithouyte aftirward on that pore man.

The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.

The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.

And hiy thingis schulen drede, and schulen be aferd in the weie; an alemaunde tre schal floure, a locuste schal be maad fat, and capparis schal be distried; for a man schal go in to the hous of his euerlastyngnesse, and weileris schulen go aboute in the street.

and dust turne ayen in to his erthe, wherof it was, and the spirit turne ayen to God, that yaf it.

Kisse he me with the cos of his mouth.

Whanne the kyng was in his restyng place, my narde yaf his odour.

His left hond is vndur myn heed; and his riyt hond schal biclippe me.

and ben moost witti to batels; the swerd of ech man is on his hipe, for the drede of nyytis.

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.

Mi derlyng, come in to his gardyn, to ete the fruyt of hise applis. Mi sister spousesse, come thou in to my gardyn. Y have rope my myrre, with my swete smellynge spices; Y haue ete an hony combe, with myn hony; Y haue drunke my wyn, with my mylk. Frendis, ete ye, and drynke; and derewortheste frendis, be ye fillid greetli.

Mi derlyng putte his hond bi an hoole; and my wombe tremblide at the touchyng therof.

His heed is best gold; hise heeris ben as the bowis of palm trees, and ben blake as a crowe.

Hise hondis ben able to turne aboute, goldun, and ful of iacynctis; his wombe is of yuer, ourned with safiris.

Hise lippis ben pilers of marble, that ben foundid on foundementis of gold; his schapplinesse is as of the Liban, he is chosun as cedris.

His throte is moost swete, and he is al desirable. Ye douytris of Jerusalem, siche is my derlyng, and this is my freend.

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.

Y schal cleue by loue to my derlyng, and his turnyng schal be to me.