Canticum Canticorum 1
THE SONG of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Osculetur me osculo oris sui. Quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino, fragrantia unguentis optimis.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth — for thy love is better than wine.
3 Oleum effusum nomen tuum: ideo adolescentulæ dilexerunt te. Trahe me.
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee.
4 Post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua. Exultabimus et lætabimur in te, memores uberum tuorum super vinum. Recti diligunt te.
Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! sincerely do they love thee.
5 Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiæ Ierusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis.
'I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol. Filii matris meæ pugnaverunt contra me, posuerunt me custodem in vineis: vineam meam non custodivi.
Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.'
7 Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum.
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that veileth herself beside the flocks of thy companions?
8 Si ignoras te o pulcherrima inter mulieres, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum, et pasce hœdos tuos iuxta tabernacula pastorum.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.
9 Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te amica mea.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
10 Pulchræ sunt genæ tuæ sicut turturis: collum tuum sicut monilia.
Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads.
11 Murenulas aureas faciemus tibi, vermiculatas argento.
We will make thee circlets of gold with studs of silver.
12 Dum esset rex in accubitu suo, nardus mea dedit odorem suum.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 Fasciculus myrrhæ dilectus meus mihi, inter ubera mea commorabitur.
My beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 Botrus Cypri dilectus meus mihi, in vineis Engaddi.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 Ecce tu pulchra es amica mea, ecce tu pulchra es, oculi tui columbarum.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves.
16 Ecce tu pulcher es dilecte mi, et decorus. Lectulus noster floridus.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our couch is leafy.
17 Tigna domorum nostrarum cedrina, laquearia nostra cypressina.
The beams of our houses are cedars, and our panels are cypresses.
