Canticum Canticorum 5
1 Sponsus Veni in hortum meum, soror mea, sponsa; messui myrrham meam cum aromatibus meis; comedi favum cum melle meo; bibi vinum meum cum lacte meo; comedite, amici, et bibite, et inebriamini, carissimi.
I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. The friends speaking to the man and the woman Eat, friends; drink and be drunk with love.
2 Sponsa Ego dormio, et cor meum vigilat. Vox dilecti mei pulsantis: Sponsus Aperi mihi, soror mea, amica mea, columba mea, immaculata mea, quia caput meum plenum est rore, et cincinni mei guttis noctium.
I was asleep, but my heart was awake. There is the sound of my beloved knocking and saying, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the night's dampness.”
3 Sponsa Expoliavi me tunica mea: quomodo induar illa? lavi pedes meos: quomodo inquinabo illos?
“I have taken off my robe; must I put it on again? I have washed my feet; must I get them dirty?”
4 Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus intremuit ad tactum ejus.
My beloved put in his hand through the opening of the door latch, and my heart was stirred up for him.
5 Surrexi ut aperirem dilecto meo; manus meæ stillaverunt myrrham, et digiti mei pleni myrrha probatissima.
I got up to open the door for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, my fingers with moist myrrh, on the door handle.
6 Pessulum ostii mei aperui dilecto meo, at ille declinaverat, atque transierat. Anima mea liquefacta est, ut locutus est; quæsivi, et non inveni illum; vocavi, et non respondit mihi.
I opened the door for my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My heart sank when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.
7 Invenerunt me custodes qui circumeunt civitatem; percusserunt me, et vulneraverunt me. Tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum.
The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. They struck me and wounded me; the guards on the walls took away my cloak from me.
8 Adjuro vos, filiæ Jerusalem, si inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuntietis ei quia amore langueo.
I want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, that if you find my beloved— What will you make known to him?— that I am sick from love.
9 Chorus Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima mulierum? qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, quia sic adjurasti nos?
How is your beloved better than another beloved man, most beautiful among women? Why is your beloved better than another beloved, that you ask us to take an oath like this?
10 Sponsa Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus; electus ex millibus.
My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
11 Caput ejus aurum optimum; comæ ejus sicut elatæ palmarum, nigræ quasi corvus.
His head is the purest gold; his hair is curly and as black as a raven.
12 Oculi ejus sicut columbæ super rivulos aquarum, quæ lacte sunt lotæ, et resident juxta fluenta plenissima.
His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.
13 Genæ illius sicut areolæ aromatum, consitæ a pigmentariis. Labia ejus lilia, distillantia myrrham primam.
His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding aromatic scents. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.
14 Manus illius tornatiles, aureæ, plenæ hyacinthis. Venter ejus eburneus, distinctus sapphiris.
His arms are rounded gold set with jewels; his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires.
15 Crura illius columnæ marmoreæ quæ fundatæ sunt super bases aureas. Species ejus ut Libani, electus ut cedri.
His legs are pillars of marble, set on bases of pure gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
16 Guttur illius suavissimum, et totus desiderabilis. Talis est dilectus meus, et ipse est amicus meus, filiæ Jerusalem.
His mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
