Study Desk

I am come almost in to all mysfortune, in the myddest of the multitude and congregacion.

I am louynge vnto those that loue me, and they that seke me early, shal fynde me.

Who can saye: my hert is cleane, I am innocent from synne?

They wounded me (shalt thou saie) but it hath not hurte me, they smote me, but I felt it not. Whe I am wel wakened, I wil go to ye drynke agayne.

For though I am ye leest of all, & haue no mas vnderstodige

(for I neuerlerned wi?dome) yet haue I vnderstodinge & am wel enfourmed in godly thinges.

I comoned wt myne owne herte, sayege: lo, I am come to a greate estate, and haue gotte more wy?dome, the all they yt haue bene before me in Ierusalem. Yee my hert had greate experiece of wy?dome & knowlege,

But though an euell personne offende an hundreth tymes, and haue a longe life: yet am I sure, that it shal go well with the that feare God, because they haue him before their eyes.

I am black (o ye doughters of Ierusale) like as the tentes of the Cedarenes, and as the hanginges of Salomon:

but yet am I faire & welfauoured withal. Maruell not at me yt I am so black, & why? ye Sonne hath shyned vpo me. For whan my mothers childre had euell wil at me, they made me ye keper of the vynyarde. Thus was I fayne to kepe a vynyarde, which was not myne owne.

I am the floure of the felde, and lylie of the valleys:

Refresh me wt grapes, coforte me with apples, for I am sick of loue.

My loue is myne, and I am his, (which fedeth amoge the lylies)

I charge you therfore (o ye doughters of Ierusalem) yf ye fynde my beloued, that ye tell him, how that I am sick for loue.

My loue is myne, and I am his, which fedeth amonge the lilies.

What is she this, that cometh vp from the wildernes, and leaneth vpon hir loue? I am the same that waked the vp amonge the aple trees, where thy mother beare ye, where yi mother brought the in to the worlde.

Yf I be a wall, & my brestes like towres, then am I as one that hath founde fauoure in his sight.

Why offre ye so many sacrifices vnto me? I am discontent for the brentoffringes of wethers, and with ye fatnesse offedbeastes. I haue no pleasure in the bloude of bullockes, lambes and gootes.

Then I sayde: O wo is me. For I was astonished: that I (which am a man of vnclene lippes, and dwell amonge people yt hath vnclene lippes also:) Shulde se ye Kynge and LORDE of hoostes with myne eyes.

After this I herde the voyce of the LORDE takinge advysement on this maner: Whom shall I sende, and who wilbe oure messaunger? The I sayde: here am I, sende me.