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 charissimi.
[HE] I have entered my garden, my sister, bride, I have plucked my myrrh, with my balsam, I have eaten the honey of my thicket, I have drunk my wine, with my milk: —Eat ye, O friends, Drink, yea drink abundantly, ye beloved!
2 Ego dormio, et cor meum vigilat: vox dilecti mei pulsantis: Aperi mihi soror mea, amica mea, columba mea, immaculata mea: quia caput meum plenum est rore, et cincinni mei guttis noctium.
[SHE] I, was sleeping, but, my heart, was awake, —The voice of my beloved—knocking! Open to me, my sister, my fair one, my dove, my perfect one, for, my head, is filled with dew, my locks, with the moisture of the night.
3 Expoliavi me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? lavi pedes meos, quomodo inquinabo illos?
I have put off my tunic, oh how shall I put it on? I have bathed my feet, oh how shall I soil them?
4 Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus intremuit ad tactum eius.
My beloved, thrust in his hand, at the window, and, my feelings, were deeply moved for him:
5 Surrexi, ut aperirem dilecto meo: manus meæ stillaverunt myrrham, et digiti mei pleni myrrha probatissima.
I myself, arose, to open to my beloved, —and, my hands, dripped with myrrh, and, my fingers, with myrrh distilling, upon the handles of the bolt.
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 myself, opened to my beloved, but, my beloved, had turned away, had passed on, —My soul, had gone out when he spake, I sought him, but found him not, I called him, but he answered not.
7 Invenerunt me custodes qui circumeunt civitatem: percusserunt me, et vulneraverunt me: tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum.
The watchmen who were going round in the city, found me, they smote me, wounded me, —The watchmen of the walls, took away my cloak from off me.
8 Adiuro vos filiæ Ierusalem, si inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuncietis ei quia amore langueo.
I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, —If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That, sick with love, I am.
9 Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima mulierum? qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, quia sic adiurasti nos?
[DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM] What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, thou most beautiful among women? What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, that, thus, thou hast adjured us?
10 Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus, electus ex millibus.
[SHE.] My beloved, is white and ruddy, conspicuous beyond ten thousand:
11 Caput eius aurum optimum: Comæ eius sicut elatæ palmarum, nigræ quasi corvus.
His head, is pure gold, —his locks, are bushy, black as a raven;
12 Oculi eius sicut columbæ super rivulos aquarum, quæ lacte sunt lotæ, et resident iuxta fluenta plenissima.
His eyes, like doves, by the channels of water, —bathing in milk, set as gems in a ring:
13 Genæ illius sicut areolæ aromatum consitæ a pigmentariis. Labia eius lilia distillantia myrrham primam.
His cheeks, like a raised bed of balsam, growing plants of perfume, —His lips, lilies, dripping with myrrh distilling:
14 Manus illius tornatiles aureæ, plenæ hyacinthis. Venter eius eburneus, distinctus sapphiris.
His hands, cylinders of gold, set with topaz, —His body, wrought work of ivory, covered with sapphires:
15 Crura illius columnæ marmoreæ, quæ fundatæ sunt super bases aureas. Species eius ut Libani, electus ut cedri.
His legs, pillars of white marble, founded on sockets of gold, —His form, like Lebanon, choice as cedars:
16 Guttur illius suavissimum, et totus desiderabilis: talis est dilectus meus, et ipse est amicus meus, filiæ Ierusalem.
His mouth, most sweet, yea, altogether, he is delightful, —This, is my beloved, yea, this, is my dear one, ye daughters of Jerusalem.
