Canticum Canticorum 5
1 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.
Let my kinsman come down into his garden, and eat the fruit of his choice berries. I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; yes, brethren, drink abundantly.
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 sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, [saying], Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
3 Expoliavi me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? lavi pedes meos, quomodo inquinabo illos?
I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
4 Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus intremuit ad tactum eius.
My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole [of the door], and my belly moved for him.
5 Surrexi, ut aperirem dilecto meo: manus meae stillaverunt myrrham, et digiti mei pleni myrrha probatissima.
I rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
6 Pessulum ostii mei aperui dilecto meo: at ille declinaverat, atque transierat. Anima mea liquefacta est, ut locutus est: quaesivi, et non inveni illum: vocavi, et non respondit mihi.
I opened to my kinsman; my kinsman was gone: my soul failed at his speech: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he answered me not.
7 Invenerunt me custodes qui circumeunt civitatem: percusserunt me, et vulneraverunt me: tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum.
The watchman that go their rounds in the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
8 Adiuro vos filiae Ierusalem, si inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuncietis ei quia amore langueo.
I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and the virtues of the field: if you should find my kinsman, what are you to say to him? That I am wounded with love.
9 Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima mulierum? qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, quia sic adiurasti nos?
What is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, O you beautiful among women? what is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, that you have so charged us?
10 Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus, electus ex millibus.
My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.
11 Caput eius aurum optimum: Comae eius sicut elatae palmarum, nigrae quasi corvus.
His head is [as] very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.
12 Oculi eius sicut columbae super rivulos aquarum, quae lacte sunt lotae, et resident iuxta fluenta plenissima.
His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.
13 Genae illius sicut areolae aromatum consitae a pigmentariis. Labia eius lilia distillantia myrrham primam.
His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.
14 Manus illius tornatiles aureae, plenae hyacinthis. Venter eius eburneus, distinctus sapphiris.
His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.
15 Crura illius columnae marmoreae, quae fundatae sunt super bases aureas. Species eius ut Libani, electus ut cedri.
His legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.
16 Guttur illius suavissimum, et totus desiderabilis: talis est dilectus meus, et ipse est amicus meus, filiae Ierusalem.
His throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.
