Canticum Canticorum, 5
1. Veniat dilectus meus in hortum suum et comedat fructus eius optimos. Veni in hortum meum, soror mea, sponsa; messui myrrham meam cum aromatibus meis, comedi favum cum melle, bibi vinum cum lacte meo. Comedite, amici, et bibite et inebriamini, carissimi.
1. I come to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gather my myrrh with my spice, I eat my honeycomb with my honey, I drink my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink: drink deeply, O lovers!
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”.
2. I slept, but my heart was awake. Hark! my beloved is knocking. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night."
3. “Exspoliavi me tunica mea, quomodo induar illa? Lavi pedes meos, quomodo inquinabo illos?”.
3. I had put off my garment, how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet, how could I soil them?
4. Dilectus meus misit manum suam per foramen, et venter meus ilico intremuit.
4. My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.
5. Surrexi, ut aperirem dilecto meo; manus meae stillaverunt myrrham, et digiti mei pleni myrrha probatissima super ansam pessuli.
5. I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, upon the handles of the bolt.
6. Aperui dilecto meo; at ille declinaverat atque transierat. Anima mea liquefacta est, quia discesserat. Quaesivi et non inveni illum; vocavi, et non respondit mihi.
6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.
7. Invenerunt me custodes, qui circumeunt civitatem; percusserunt me et vulneraverunt me, tulerunt pallium meum mihi custodes murorum.
7. The watchmen found me, as they went about in the city; they beat me, they wounded me, they took away my mantle, those watchmen of the walls.
8. Adiuro vos, filiae Ierusalem: si inveneritis dilectum meum, quid nuntietis ei? “Quia amore langueo”.
8. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.
9. Quid est dilecto tuo prae ceteris, o pulcherrima mulierum? Quid est dilecto tuo prae ceteris, quia sic adiurasti nos?
9. What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?
10. Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus dignoscitur ex milibus.
10. My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand.
11. Caput eius aurum optimum, cincinni eius sicut racemi palmarum, nigri quasi corvus.
11. His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven.
12. Oculi eius sicut columbae super rivulos aquarum, quae lacte sunt lotae et resident iuxta fluenta plenissima.
12. His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, bathed in milk, fitly set.
13. Genae illius sicut areolae aromatum, turriculae unguentorum; labia eius lilia distillantia myrrham primam.
13. His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding fragrance. His lips are lilies, distilling liquid myrrh.
14. Manus illius tornatiles aureae, plenae hyacinthis; venter eius opus eburneum distinctum sapphiris.
14. His arms are rounded gold, set with jewels. His body is ivory work, encrusted with sapphires.
15. Crura illius columnae marmoreae, quae fundatae sunt super bases aureas; species eius ut Libani, electus ut cedri.
15. His legs are alabaster columns, set upon bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
16. Guttur illius suavissimum, et totus desiderabilis. Talis est dilectus meus, et ipse est amicus meus, filiae Ierusalem.
16. His speech is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
