Canticum Canticorum 1
Solomon's song of songs.
2 Osculetur me osculo oris sui: quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino,
Kiss me, kiss me with your mouth again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
3 fragrantia unguentis optimis. Oleum effusum nomen tuum: ideo adolescentulae dilexerunt te.
I love the way you smell from the perfumed oils you use. You have quite a reputation—it spreads like spilled perfumed oil. It's not surprising that all the young women adore you!
4 Trahe me: post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua: exultabimus et laetabimur in te, memores uberum tuorum super vinum: recti diligunt te.
Take me by the hand—let's run! (The king has brought me to his bedroom.) Let's be happy together and find pleasure in your love. Your love is far better than wine! Women are right to adore you so!
5 Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiae Ierusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis.
I'm black, but I'm beautiful, women of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol: filii matris meae pugnaverunt contra me, posuerunt me custodem in vineis: vineam meam non custodivi.
Don't look down on me because I'm black, because the sun has burned me. My brothers were angry with me and made me look after the vineyards, so I couldn't look after my own vineyard.
7 Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum.
My love, please tell me where you're taking your flock. Where will you rest them at noon? For why should I have to wear a veil while looking for you among the flocks of your companions?
8 Si ignoras te o pulcherrima inter mulieres, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum tuorum, et pasce hoedos tuos iuxta tabernacula pastorum.
If you really don't know, you who are more beautiful than any other woman, then follow the tracks of my flock, and let your goats graze near the shepherd's tents.
9 Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te amica mea.
My darling, to me you're like a mare among Pharaoh's horses that pull his chariots,
10 Pulchrae sunt genae tuae sicut turturis: collum tuum sicut monilia.
Your beautiful cheeks adorned with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
11 Murenulas aureas faciemus tibi, vermiculatas argento.
Let's make you some gold ornaments inlaid with silver.
12 Dum esset rex in accubitu suo, nardus mea dedit odorem suum.
As the king lay on his couch, my nard perfume gave off its fragrance.
13 Fasciculus myrrhae dilectus meus mihi, inter ubera mea commorabitur.
My love is like a pouch of myrrh, lying all night between my breasts.
14 Botrus cypri dilectus meus mihi, in vineis Engaddi.
My love is like a bunch of fragrant henna flowers in the vineyards of Engedi.
15 Ecce tu pulchra es amica mea, ecce tu pulchra es, oculi tui columbarum.
Look at how very beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes are as gentle as doves.
16 Ecce tu pulcher es dilecte mi, et decorus. Lectulus noster floridus:
And you, my love, are so handsome—how charming you are! The green grass is our bed,
17 tigna domorum nostrarum cedrina, laquearia nostra cypressina.
with cedar trees as beams for our “house,” and pine trees for the rafters.
