Who is this fair one in dis­tress,
That tra­vels from the wil­der­ness?
And pressed with sor­rows and with sins,
On her be­lov­èd Lord she leans.

This is the spouse of Christ our God,
Bought with the trea­sure of His blood;
And her re­quest and her com­plaint
Is but the voice of ev­ery saint.

“O let my name en­grav­en stand
Both on Thy heart and on Thy hand;
Seal me up­on Thine arm, and wear
That pledge of love for ev­er there.

“Stronger than death Thy love is known,
Which floods of wrath could ne­ver drown;
And hell and earth in vain com­bine
To quench a fire so much di­vine.

“But I am jeal­ous of my heart,
Lest it should once from Thee de­part;
Then let Thy name be well im­pressed,
As a fair sig­net on my breast.

“Till Thou hast brought me to Thy home,
Where fears and doubts can ne­ver come,
Thy coun­te­nance let me oft­en see,
And oft­en Thou shalt hear from me.

Come, my be­lov­èd, haste away,
Cut short the hours of Thy de­lay;
Fly like a youth­ful hart or roe
Over the hills where spic­es grow.