By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.