Canticum Canticorum 5
1 veni in hortum meum soror mea sponsa messui murram meam cum aromatibus meis comedi favum cum melle meo bibi vinum meum cum lacte meo comedite amici bibite et inebriamini carissimi
I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. The friends speaking to the man and the woman Eat, friends; drink and be drunk with love.
2 ego dormio et cor meum vigilat vox dilecti mei pulsantis aperi mihi soror mea amica mea columba mea inmaculata mea quia caput meum plenum est rore et cincinni mei guttis noctium
I was asleep, but my heart was awake. There is the sound of my beloved knocking and saying, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the night's dampness.”
3 expoliavi me tunica mea quomodo induar illa lavi pedes meos quomodo inquinabo illos
“I have taken off my robe; must I put it on again? I have washed my feet; must I get them dirty?”
4 dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen et venter meus intremuit ad tactum eius
My beloved put in his hand through the opening of the door latch, and my heart was stirred up for him.
5 surrexi ut aperirem dilecto meo manus meae stillaverunt murra digiti mei pleni murra probatissima
I got up to open the door for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, my fingers with moist myrrh, on the door handle.
6 pessulum ostii 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 the door for my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My heart sank when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.
7 invenerunt me custodes qui circumeunt civitatem percusserunt me vulneraverunt me tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum
The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. They struck me and wounded me; the guards on the walls took away my cloak from me.
8 adiuro vos filiae Hierusalem si inveneritis dilectum meum ut nuntietis ei quia amore langueo
I want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, that if you find my beloved— What will you make known to him?— that I am sick from love.
9 qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto o pulcherrima mulierum qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto quia sic adiurasti nos
How is your beloved better than another beloved man, most beautiful among women? Why is your beloved better than another beloved, that you ask us to take an oath like this?
10 dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus electus ex milibus
My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
11 caput eius aurum optimum comae eius sicut elatae palmarum nigrae quasi corvus
His head is the purest gold; his hair is curly and as black as a raven.
12 oculi eius sicut columbae super rivulos aquarum quae lacte sunt lotae et resident iuxta fluenta plenissima
His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.
13 genae illius sicut areolae aromatum consitae a pigmentariis labia eius lilia distillantia murram primam
His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding aromatic scents. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.
14 manus illius tornatiles aureae plenae hyacinthis venter eius eburneus distinctus sapphyris
His arms are rounded gold set with jewels; his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires.
15 crura illius columnae marmoreae quae fundatae sunt super bases aureas species eius ut Libani electus ut cedri
His legs are pillars of marble, set on bases of pure gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
16 guttur illius suavissimum et totus desiderabilis talis est dilectus meus et iste est amicus meus filiae Hierusalem
His mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
