5

WAKE now my love, awake1! for it is time,

The rosy Morne long since left Tithones2 bed,

All ready to her silver coche to clyme,

And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed.

Hark how the cheerefull birds do chaunt theyr laies

And carroll of loves praise!

The merry larke hir mattins3 sings aloft,

The thrush replyes, the mavis descant playes4,

The Ouzell5 shrills, the ruddock6 warbles soft,

So goodly all agree, with sweet consent,

To this dayes meriment.

Ah! my deere loue, why doe ye sleepe thus long,

When meeter7 were that ye should now awake,

To awayt the comming of your joyous make8,

And hearken to the birds lovelearned song,

The deawy leaves among.

For they of ioy and pleasance to you sing.

That all the woods them answer and theyr eccho ring.

注释：1.awake：参考《所罗门之歌》第二章第十至十三节。人们在这首歌中读出一种比喻的意思。伊丽莎白时代的祷文中说婚姻是由天国的主授予人们的圣职。婚姻象征上帝和教堂之间的一种神秘联姻。

2.Tithones：提索诺斯，黎明女神奥柔拉的丈夫。

3.mattins：晨歌。

4.descant playes：画眉的和鸣。

5.ouzell：黑鸫鸟。

6.ruddock：知更鸟。

7.meter：更合适的。

8.make：配偶。