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29
Cant. 1. 5.
I am black but comely, O ye Daughters of Jerusalem.
A DIALOGUE Between the CHURCH and her DAUGHTERS
Daught.You were our Mother once, most bright and fair
Admir'd and lov'd by every eye,
No earthly beauty could with you compare;
But now y'are of another dye.
VVe ne're beheld a Moor more black then you
Are by this unexpected change,
VVe hardly can believe it to be true,
The sight so uncouth is and strange.
Are by this unexpected change,
VVe hardly can believe it to be true,
The sight so uncouth is and strange.
You are become a widow desolate,
You have no Suitors as before.
VVe are asham'd to own you, since of late
Most men have cast you out of door.
Church.
You have no Suitors as before.
VVe are asham'd to own you, since of late
Most men have cast you out of door.
Despise me not, although that black I am,
The reason you shall understand;
From an extreme hot Country late I came,
From that Egyptian Sun-burnt Land.
There I was scorcht, and lost my beauty there,
By lying long amongst the Pots
And Brick-kilns, heavy burthens I did bear;
Thus I contracted all my spots.
By lying long amongst the Pots
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Thus I contracted all my spots.
Yet be not you asham'd of me, for I,
Though black without, am fair within;
My soul is purged from impurity,
And grace hath now excluded sin.
Though black without, am fair within;
My soul is purged from impurity,
And grace hath now excluded sin.
It was the plot of my Beloved, who
Seeing me proud, and wanton grow
Of my unparallell'd beauty, serv'd me so;
To keep me up he brought me low.
Seeing me proud, and wanton grow
Of my unparallell'd beauty, serv'd me so;
To keep me up he brought me low.
He took away the lustre of my face,
But gave another to my mind;
And now I do account it no disgrace,
Since this the better far I find.
But gave another to my mind;
And now I do account it no disgrace,
Since this the better far I find.
'Tis not the fairness of the face, but soul,
VVhich doth invite my Lord to love:
If he perceive the inward parts be foul,
The outward not at all him move.
VVhich doth invite my Lord to love:
If he perceive the inward parts be foul,
The outward not at all him move.
No matter though I black to others seem,
VVhilst I am comely in his eyes;
If be me worthy of his love esteem,
I care not who doth me despise.
VVhilst I am comely in his eyes;
If be me worthy of his love esteem,
I care not who doth me despise.
VVhen he shall find it fit to wash off all
My black, and outward grace restore,
Like the Sun after an Eclipse, I shall
Shine brighter then I did before.
My black, and outward grace restore,
Like the Sun after an Eclipse, I shall
Shine brighter then I did before.
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