Canticum Canticorum 1
The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Osculetur me osculo oris sui: quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino,
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3 fragrantia unguentis optimis. Oleum effusum nomen tuum: ideo adolescentulæ dilexerunt te.
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is [as] ointment poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Trahe me: post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua: exultabimus et lætabimur in te, memores uberum tuorum super vinum: recti diligunt te.
Draw me; we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will make mention of thy love more than of wine: rightly do they love thee.
5 Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiæ Ierusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol: filii matris meæ pugnaverunt contra me, posuerunt me custodem in vineis: vineam meam non custodivi.
Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, because the sun hath scorched me. My mother’s sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; [but] mine own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum.
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest [thy flock], where thou makest [it] to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that is veiled beside the flocks of thy companions?
8 Si ignoras te o pulcherrima inter mulieres, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum, et pasce hœdos tuos iuxta tabernacula pastorum.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te amica mea.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Pulchræ sunt genæ tuæ sicut turturis: collum tuum sicut monilia.
Thy cheeks are comely with plaits [of hair], thy neck with strings of jewels
11 Murenulas aureas faciemus tibi, vermiculatas argento.
We will make thee plaits of gold with studs of silver.
12 Dum esset rex in accubitu suo, nardus mea dedit odorem suum.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 Fasciculus myrrhæ dilectus meus mihi, inter ubera mea commorabitur.
My beloved is unto me [as] a bundle of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 Botrus cypri dilectus meus mihi, in vineis Engaddi.
My beloved is unto me [as] a cluster of henna-flowers in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 Ecce tu pulchra es amica mea, ecce tu pulchra es, oculi tui columbarum.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are [as] doves.
16 Ecce tu pulcher es dilecte mi, et decorus. Lectulus noster floridus:
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our couch is green.
17 tigna domorum nostrarum cedrina, laquearia nostra cypressina.
The beams of our house are cedars, [and] our rafters are firs.
