Canticum Canticorum 8
1 Quis mihi det te fratrem meum, sugentem ubera matris meæ, ut inveniam te foris, et deosculer te, et jam me nemo despiciat?
Oh that thou were as my brother, who sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee outside, I would kiss thee. Yes, and none would despise me.
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 would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.
3 Læva ejus sub capite meo, et dextera illius amplexabitur me.
His left hand under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.
4 Adjuro vos, filiæ Jerusalem, ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam, donec ipsa velit.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake love, until it 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 who comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awoke thee. There thy mother was in travail with thee. There she who brought thee forth was in travail.
6 Pone me ut signaculum super cor tuum, ut signaculum super brachium tuum, quia fortis est ut mors dilectio, dura sicut infernus æmulatio: lampades ejus lampades ignis atque flammarum. (Sheol h7585)
Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm. For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as Sheol. The flashes of it are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. (Sheol h7585)
7 Aquæ multæ non potuerunt extinguere caritatem, nec flumina obruent illam. Si dederit homo omnem substantiam domus suæ pro dilectione, quasi nihil despiciet eam.
Many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.
8 Soror nostra parva, et ubera non habet; quid faciemus sorori nostræ in die quando alloquenda est?
We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
9 Si murus est, ædificemus super eum propugnacula argentea; si ostium est, compingamus illud tabulis cedrinis.
If she is a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver. And if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards 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 like the towers. Then I was in his eyes as one who found peace.
11 Vinea fuit pacifico in ea quæ habet populos: tradidit eam custodibus; vir affert pro fructu ejus mille argenteos.
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon. He let out the vineyard to keepers. Every one for the fruit of it was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
12 Vinea mea coram me est. Mille tui pacifici, et ducenti his qui custodiunt fructus ejus.
My vineyard, which is mine, is before me. Thou, O Solomon, shall have the thousand, and those who keep the fruit of it, two hundred.
13 Quæ habitas in hortis, amici auscultant; fac me audire vocem tuam.
Thou who dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice. Cause me to hear it.
14 Fuge, dilecte mi, et assimilare capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum super montes aromatum.
Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
