Canticum Canticorum 8
1 Quis mihi det te fratrem meum sugentem ubera matris meæ, ut inveniam te foris, et deosculer te, et iam me nemo despiciat?
Oh that thou werest as my brother that sucked the brestes of my mother: I would finde thee without, I would kisse thee, then they should not despise thee.
2 Apprehendam te, et ducam in domum matris meæ: ibi me docebis, et dabo tibi poculum ex vino condito, et mustum malorum granatorum meorum.
I will leade thee and bring thee into my mothers house: there thou shalt teache me: and I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine, and newe wine of the pomegranate.
3 Læva eius sub capite meo, et dextera illius amplexabitur me.
His left hand shalbe vnder mine head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
4 Adiuro vos filiæ Ierusalem, ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam donec ipsa velit.
I charge you, O daughters of Ierusale, that you stir not vp, nor waken my loue, vntil she please.
5 Quæ est ista, quæ ascendit de deserto, deliciis affluens, innixa super dilectum suum? Sub arbore malo suscitavi te: ibi corrupta est mater tua, ibi violata est genitrix tua.
(Who is this that commeth vp out of the wildernesse, leaning vpon her welbeloued?) I raysed thee vp vnder an apple tree: there thy mother conceiued thee: there she coceiued that bare thee.
6 Pone me ut signaculum super cor tuum, ut signaculum super brachium tuum: quia fortis est ut mors dilectio, dura sicut infernus æmulatio, lampades eius lampades ignis atque flammarum. (Sheol h7585)
Set mee as a seale on thine heart, and as a signet vpon thine arme: for loue is strong as death: ielousie is cruel as the graue: the coles thereof are fierie coles, and a vehement flame. (Sheol h7585)
7 Aquæ multæ non potuerunt extinguere charitatem, nec flumina obruent illam: si dederit homo omnem substantiam domus suæ pro dilectione, quasi nihil despiciet eam.
Much water can not quench loue, neither can the floods drowne it: If a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue, they would greatly contemne it.
8 Soror nostra parva, et ubera non habet. Quid faciemus sorori nostræ in die quando alloquenda est?
Wee haue a litle sister, and she hath no breastes: what shall we do for our sister when she shalbe spoken for?
9 Si murus est, ædificemus super eum propugnacula argentea: si ostium est, compingamus illud tabulis cedrinis.
If shee be a wall, we will builde vpon her a siluer palace: and if she be a doore, we wil keepe her in with bordes of cedar.
10 Ego murus: et ubera mea sicut turris, ex quo facta sum coram eo quasi pacem reperiens.
I am a wall, and my breasts are as towres: then was I in his eyes as one that findeth peace.
11 Vinea fuit pacifico in ea, quæ habet populos: tradidit eam custodibus, vir affert pro fructu eius mille argenteos.
Salomon had a vine in Baal-hamon: hee gaue the vineyarde vnto keepers: euery one bringeth for ye fruite thereof a thousand pieces of siluer.
12 Vinea mea coram me est. Mille tui pacifici, et ducenti his, qui custodiunt fructus eius.
But my vineyarde which is mine, is before me: to thee, O Salomon appertaineth a thousand pieces of siluer, and two hundreth to them that keepe the fruite thereof.
13 Quæ habitas in hortis, amici auscultant: fac me audire vocem tuam.
O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken vnto thy voyce: cause me to heare it.
14 Fuge dilecte mi, et assimilare capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum super montes aromatum.
O my welbeloued, flee away, and be like vnto the roe, or to the yong harte vpon ye mountaines of spices.
