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.
My bride, [you who are dearer to me than] my sister, I have come [to cuddle up to you] [MET, EUP]; [it will be as though] I will be gathering myrrh with my other spices, and eating my honey and my honeycomb, and drinking my wine and my milk. You two who love each other, enjoy your lovemaking; enjoy all that you want to.
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.
I was partially asleep, but my mind was [still] awake. Then I heard the one who loves me knocking [at the door]. [He said], “My darling, [you who are dearer to me than] my sister, my dear friend, my perfect one, my dove [MET], open the door for me! My hair is wet from the dew, from the mist [that has fallen during] the night.”
3 Expoliavi me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? lavi pedes meos, quomodo inquinabo illos?
[But] I had already taken off my robe; I did not [RHQ] want to put it on again [to open the door]. I had [already] washed my feet; I did not [RHQ] want them to become dirty again.
4 Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus intremuit ad tactum eius.
The one who loves me put his hand through the opening [in the wall], and I was thrilled [that he was there].
5 Surrexi, ut aperirem dilecto meo: manus meæ stillaverunt myrrham, et digiti mei pleni myrrha probatissima.
I got up to open [the door] for the one who loves me, [but first I put a lot of] myrrh on my hands. The myrrh was dripping from my fingers while I unlatched 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 opened [the door] for the man who loves me, but he had left. He had turned away and was gone! I was very disappointed [IDM]; I searched for him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.
7 Invenerunt me custodes qui circumeunt civitatem: percusserunt me, et vulneraverunt me: tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum.
The city watchmen saw me while they were walking around the city. They beat me and wounded me [because they thought I must be a prostitute]; those men who were guarding the city walls took my robe.
8 Adiuro vos filiæ Ierusalem, si inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuncietis ei quia amore langueo.
You young women of Jerusalem, I plead with you, if you see the man who loves me, tell him [DOU] that I am very disappointed that we did not make love.
9 Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima mulierum? qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, quia sic adiurasti nos?
You who are the (fairest/most beautiful) among women, why [do you think that] the one who loves you is better than other men? In what way is the man who loves you better than other men with the result that you ask us to tell him that?
10 Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus, electus ex millibus.
The man who loves me is handsome and healthy, (outstanding among/better than) (10,000/an uncountable number of) [other men].
11 Caput eius aurum optimum: Comæ eius sicut elatæ palmarum, nigræ quasi corvus.
His head is [beautiful, like] [MET] purest gold; his hair is wavy and as black as [SIM] a raven/crow.
12 Oculi eius sicut columbæ super rivulos aquarum, quæ lacte sunt lotæ, et resident iuxta fluenta plenissima.
His eyes [are as gentle] as [SIM] doves along the streams; [the white parts of] his eyes are as white as [MET] milk, [with what resembles] jewels inlaid in them.
13 Genæ illius sicut areolæ aromatum consitæ a pigmentariis. Labia eius lilia distillantia myrrham primam.
His cheeks are like [SIM] a garden full of spice trees that produce [sweet-smelling] perfume. His lips are [like] [SIM] lilies that have myrrh/perfume dripping from them.
14 Manus illius tornatiles aureæ, plenæ hyacinthis. Venter eius eburneus, distinctus sapphiris.
His arms are like [MET] gold bars/rods that are decorated with precious stones/jewels. His body is like [SIM] [a column/pillar of] ivory that is decorated with (sapphires/valuable [blue] stones).
15 Crura illius columnæ marmoreæ, quæ fundatæ sunt super bases aureas. Species eius ut Libani, electus ut cedri.
His legs are [like] [MET] pillars of marble that are set in bases made of pure gold. He is [majestic, like the mountains of] [SIM] Lebanon, as delightful/beautiful as [SIM] cedar [trees].
16 Guttur illius suavissimum, et totus desiderabilis: talis est dilectus meus, et ipse est amicus meus, filiæ Ierusalem.
His kisses [MTY] are extremely sweet; he is very handsome. You young women of Jerusalem, all that tells you why the one who loves me and who is my friend [is better than other men].
