The Church:
1 Let Him with kisses of his mouth
be pleased me to kiss:
2 For better than the choicest wine
thy loving kindness is.
3 Thy name as ointment poured out:
for that most fragrant smell
Of thy choice ointment therefore do
the virgins love Thee well.
4 O draw Thou me, and readily
we will run after Thee;
Into his secret chambers hath
the King conducted me.
We will be glad, and will in Thee
exceedingly delight;
Thy love remember more than wine;
love Thee do the upright.
5 O daughters of Jerusalem!
I'm black; and yet you own
I'm comely as Kedar tents
and beds of Solomon.
6 Because I blackish am, therefore
upon me look not ye;
Because the sun with scorching beams,
has looked fierce on me.
My mother's sons displeas'd with me,
vineyards did me assign
to keep: whereas I scarce could keep
the vineyard singly mine.
7 Tell me Thou whom my soul does love,
where Thou thy seed dost take;
And where at noon-time Thou thy flock
to rest dost kindly make.
For wherefore should I be as one,
who vailed, turns away
From thy companions and their flocks
and sadly goes astray?
Christ:
7 Most fair of women, know'st thou not?
then by the flock-steps go:
Till to the shepherd's tents you come:
and feed thy kids there too.
8 To troops in Pharaoh's chariots I
will Thee my love compare.
10 Thy neck with chains; with rows of gems
thy comely cheeks appear.
11 [Yet that thou mayst be comelier still,
and as becoming mine,]
We'll make thee ornaments of gold,
with silver spangles shine
The Church:
12 While the King at his table sits
My spikenard-ointment sends
And spreads its fragrance all around,
to please Him and his friends.
13 As a fresh bunch of fragrant myrrh,
is my belov'd to me;
Which constantly between my breasts,
shall my companion be.
Christ:
14 As a ripe camphire-cluster in
Engedi's vineyard grown;
So my beloved is to me
a perfect lovely one.
15 Lo fair, my Love, lo fair art art Thou!
thine eyes as doves eyes are:
16 Lo fair transcendently Thou art,
and sweet s Thou art fair!
Our bed of rest is richly green,
most grateful to the eyes:
17 Our houses beams of cedars are,
of fir our galleries.
Christ:
1 I Sharon's rose and lilly am
which in the valley grows;
2 As lillies among thorns, my Love
among the daughters shows.
The Church:
3 As th' apple-tree among the woods,
which fruit most beauteous bears;
So my most dear beloved one
among the sons appears:
I with great joy sat in his shade;
his fruit most sweet did prove:
4 He brought me to his banquet-house;
his banner o'er me love.
5 With flaggons stay, with apples cheer,
for faint with love am I.
6 Under my head his left hand doth,
his right above me lie.
7 O daughters of Jerusalem
wake not my Love, nor raise;
By roes and hinds of all the fields
I charge you till He please.
7 O 'tis the voice of my Belov'd!
upon the mountain's He,
As roes or fawns bound o'er the hills,
so leaping comes, I see!
8 But now behind our wall He stands,
and thro' the window views?
I see Him thro' the Latices;
how lovelily He shews!
10 The my Beloved call'd to me,
to me did kindly say;
Christ:
'Arise my Love, my fairest one,
'make haste and come away!
11 'For lo the winter now is past,
' the rain entirely gone;
12 'The flow'rs appear all o'er the earth,
'the singing birds come on!
'The turtle's soft and melting voice
'thro' all the land I hear:
13 'The fig-tree, see, puts forth her figs;
'The young and green appear!
'The vines with their young tender grapes
'around perfume the air:
'Arise my Love, my fairest one;
'come, stay no longer there!'
14 O Thou my dove, in clefts of rocks,
in secret stairs! let me
Hear thy sweet voice! thy comely face
O let me gladly see!
The Church:
15 The foxes take for us away,
the little foxes there,
Who spoil the vines; and then the vines
their tender grapes will bear.
16 My most beloved one is mine,
and I am wholly his;
Among the lillies of the vales
His pleasant feeding is.
17 Till the day break, and shades fly hence,
turn my Belov'd to me;
And like a roe or fawn upon
the Bether mountains be!
The Church:
1 By night as on my bed I lay,
when I awak'd; I sought
For the Beloved of my soul;
I sought, but found Him not!
2 Now I'll arise, and in the streets,
and all broad places round,
Him I will seek whom my soul loves:
I sought, but had not found.
3 The watchmen, as I went about
the city, met with me;
Of them I ask'd; HIM whom my soul
most loves, O did you see?
4 But 'twas a very little space,
that I from them had past,
E'er Him whom my soul loves I found,
I seiz'd and held him fast.
Nor would I let Him go till I
had brought Him in to see
My mother's house, the chamber too
who had conceived me.
5 O daughters of Jerusalem,
wake not my Love, nor raise;
By roes and hinds of all the fields,
I charge you, till He please.
Daughters of Jerusalem:
6 Who's she that from the desert comes,
as incense-pillars rise?
Perfum'd with myrrh and frankincense,
and powders all of spice?
7 Behold the stately bed of rest
which is King Solomon's,
And round it threescore valiant men,
of Isr'els valiant sons.
7 So dreadful to their enemies,
all warriours skill'd in fight:
Their ready swords girt on their thighs
because of fear by night.
8 Of wood of Lebanon the King
a stately couch has made:
10 Its pillars are of silver form'd,
gold for its bottom laid.
Of purple is the canopy,
arch'd over all above,
For daughters of Jerusalem
the midst is spread with love.
11 O Zion's daughters, go ye forth,
with rais'd delight behold
King Solomon all glorious with
his diadem of gold;
The crown which on his nuptial day
his mother on him plac'd;
The day when gladness fills his heart
and all around are bless'd.
Christ:
1 Lo fair thou art,lo fair my Love!
doves-eyes in thy locks are;
Thy hair as flocks of goats that on
mount Gilead high appear.
2 Thy teeth are like the whit'ned flock,
which from the washing rose,
New shorn, and ev'ry one bear twins,
and none without them goes.
3 Thy lips are like a scarlet thread,
whence graceful accents flow:
Within thy locks, thy temples like
pomgranates in their blow.
4 Thy neck like to David's tow'r appears
built for an magazine;
Wherein a thousand bucklers hang,
all shields of mighty men.
5 Thy two fair breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a roe, who feed
Among the lillies of the vale;
but thine in charms exceed.
6 Till morning's fragrant breath shall rise,
and all the shades fly hence.
I'll get me to the mount of myrrh,
and hill of frankincense.
7 All fair thou art, my lovely one,
there is no spot in thee!
8 My spouse, O come from Lebanon,
from Lebanon with Me!
Look from the top of Amana,
from Shenir's summit high
From Hermon's top; from lions dens,
from leopard's mountains fly.
9 My sister, spouse! thou hast my heart
quite ravished from Me,
With one of thy chaste eyes, with one
chain of thy neck I see
10 How fair thy loves my sister, spouse,
how far they wine excel!
How far above all spices is
thy od'rous ointments smell!
11 Thy lips drop like the honey-comb:
my spouse, beneath thy tongue
Honey and milk: thy cloaths perfume
like scents from Lebanon.
12 My sister, spouse, a gardne is,
fenc'd for security;
And as a precious spring enclos'd,
a fountain seal'd for Me.
13 Thy cions, of pomgranates, are
the sprouts of paradise,
With all the most delicious fruits,
camphire and spikenard choice.
14 Where calamus and cinnamon,
with saffron, spikenard too,
All incense-trees, aloes and mirrh,
with all chief spices grow.
15 A fountain there, of gardens is
in thee, and springs that run,
Yea living springs that send their streams
all round from Lebanon
The Church:
16 Awake, O north wind, come thou south,
and on my garden blow;
That all the spice and odours there
may forth abundant flow:
And then let my beloved one
into his garden come,
Partake of his delicious fruit,
and of his choice perfume.
Christ:
1 I am into my garden come,
my sister, and my spouse:
I gather'd have my myrrh and spice
for our delightful use:
My honey-comb with honey eat,
my wine and milk drank I;
Eat O ye friends, drink O belov'd,
yea drink abundantly.
The Church:
2 I sleep; but yet my heart awakes:
the voice 'tis of my Love,
Who knocks and kindly calls to me,
with all my bowels move;
Christ:
'Open to Me, my sister, Love,
'my dove, my undefil'd;
'My head with dew, my locks with drops
'the night distills, is fill'd!
The Church:
3 My coat I have put off; how shall
I put it on again?
And I my feet have washed clean;
how shall I them disdain?
4 But when I my Beloved's hand
upon the latch discern'd;
Griev'd that I should so long delay,
my bowels stronger yearn'd.
5 I rose to open to my Love:
my hands myrrh dropped down;
And on the handles of the lock
myrrh from my fingers run.
6 But when the door I open'd wide
to my Beloved one;
My Love had then withdrawn Himself,
and out of sight was gone!
When as He spake, my soul did fail;
and now I sought Him have,
But found Him not; I call'd to Him,
yet He no answer gave!
7 The city watchmen met me then,
they smote and wounded me,
The keepers of the wall ev'n took
from me my veil away.
7 O daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you, to Him say,
If my Belov'd ye find, that I
for love shall faint away.
Daughters of Jerusalem:
9 O fairest thou of all the fair!
what's thy Beloved, show:
What more than others is thy Love,
that thou dost charge us so?
The Church:
10 My Love is white and ruddy; chief
above ten thousands fair!
11 His head is finest gold; his locks
curl'd black as ravens are!
12 His eyes are like the eyes of doves
looking on water-streams;
As if they washed were with milk,
and fitly set as gems!
13 His cheeks like garden-beds of spice,
with flowers of spice crown'd:
His lips like lillies, dropping myrrh,
diffusing odours round!
14 His hands adorn'd with rings of gold,
with precious stones inlaid:
His bowels like bright ivory,
with sapphires overspread!
15 His legs like marble pillars stand
on golden sockets plac'd;
His countenance like Lebanon,
with stately cedars grac'd.
16 His mouth is all of sweetness made!
He's perfect loveliness!
O daughters of Jerusalem!
my Love and Friend is this?
Daughters of Jerusalem:
1 O fairest Thou of all the fair!
if Thou canst tell us, do,
Whither thy souls' Belov'd is gone,
that we may seek Him too.
The Church:
2 My Love is to his garden gone,
down to the beds of spice;
to feed in gardens, and collect
his flowers of lillies choice.
3 I'm m Beloved's, He is mine;
our hearts in one agree;
And feed among the lilly-flowers
with great delight doth He.
Christ:
4 O Thou my Love, as Tirza fair,
fair as Jerusalem,
Majestick as a marching host
we see with banners stream.
5 O turn away thine eyes from Me!
they have Me overborn.
Thine hair is like a flock of goats
which Gilead's mount adorn.
6 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep
up from the washing gone;
Whereof ev'n ev'ry one bear twins,
and destitute is none.
7 So gracefully within thy locks
thy temples formed are,
That to pomgranates in their bloom
I may them well compare.
7 Tho' round thee there are threescore Queens,
and concubines fourscore,
And of fair virgins more there are
than can be number'd o'er;
8 Yet is my dove my perfect one,
the only one to Me;
Yea of the mother that her bare
the choicest one is she.
The daughters, as they her beheld,
admir'd, and call'd her bless'd;
The queens and concubines were charm'd
and thus her praise confess'd;
10 "O, how she looks forth like the morn,
"fair as the moon on high,
"Clear as the sun, majestick as
"an host whose banners fly!
The Church:
11 To the nut-garden I went down
the valley fruits to see;
See if the vines did bud, if bloom
did the pomgranate tree.
12 And then mu soul quick mounted me,
before I was aware,
As on the char'ots of those who
my willing people are.
Daughters of Jerusalem:
13 But O thou lovely Shulamite,
gone to thy secret place;
O turn, make haste and come again,
that WE may view thy face!
Christ:
What see you in the Shulamite?
what like her has there been?
Daughters of Jerusalem:
She's like the choir of angel-hosts
at Mahanaim seen!
Daughters of Jerusalem:
1 How beautiful thy feet with shoes,
O prince's daughter, are!
Thy joints like jewels finely wrought
by an artificer.
2 Thy navel like a cover'd cup,
with liquor full, and round:
Thy bowels like a heap of wheat
about with lillies crown'd.
3 Thy breasts are like two new wean'd roes,
twins of one fruitful dam.
4 Thy neck like a fair tow'r appears,
of iv'ry shiing frame
Thine eyes like Heshbon-fish pools bright,
Bethrabbim gate fast by:
Thy nose like Lebanon's fine tow'r
which both Damascus eye.
5 Like Carmel is thy head on thee;
the hair like purple is;
And thy rare beauty holds the King
in th' open galleries.
Christ:
6 O how delightful thou my Love!
how pleasant and how fair.
7 This stature stately like a palm,
thy breasts as clusters are
8 I said, I'll to this stately palm,
to its high top ascend,
And seize the pleasant fruit thereof
which from its boughs extend.
The full grown breasts like clusters are
full clusters of the vine;
Thy breath sweet, as ripe apples, smells
no breath so sweet as thine.
The Church:
9 Like choicest wine to my Belov'd,
that moves most pleasantly.
And makes the sleeper's lips to speak,
so thy mouth's roof to me.
10 I am my Love's; and his desire
moves to me as his own.
11 Come my belov'd, let us go forth
to see the fields new sown:
Lodge let is in the villages;
12 then early let us rise,
Go to the vineyards, and there see
if the vine flourishes;
If that the tender grapes appear;
if the pomegranates grow,
Of if they bud, and there my loves
I'll fully to Thee show.
13 The mandrakes smell: and at our gates
all pleasant fruits we see;
Which old and new, O my Belov'd,
I have prepar'd for Thee.
The Church
1 O that Thou as my brother wert,
sucking my mother's breasts!
I would Thee find abroad and kiss,
and none should me disgrace:
2 I'd lead Thee to my mother's house,
where skill she would me show:
spic'd wine of my pomegranate juice
to drink I'd make Thee too.
33 His soft left hand should underneath
my ravish'd neck intwine;
His right hand should around me bend,
as one most dearly mine.
4 O daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you make no noise,
To wake or to disturb my Love,
till He shall please to rise.
Daughters of Jerusalem:
5 But who is this that comes up now
out of the wilderness,
Leaning on her Beloved one?
a pleasing sight is this!
Christ to the Church:
Thence, where thy mother thee did bear,
beneath the apple-tree,
Where she with pain had brought thee forth,
ev'n thence I raised thee.
The Church:
6 O set me then as a dear seal
upon thy very heart;
As a seal fix'd upon thine arm,
that we may never part!
For heav'nly love as strong as death;
and no relenting knows,
No more than the devouring grave;
like burning coals it glows:
7 It's flames are like the flames of JAH,
which many waters high
Can never quench, nor flowing floods
can drown, or ev'r destroy.
And if the wealthiest man on earth
wou'd for thy love of me
Give all the substance of his house,
it quite despis'd should be.
7 But we've a little sister fair,
whose breasts are not yet grown:
The day when su'd for she shall be,
what shall for her be done?
Christ:
9 Is she firm as a wall, we'll build
on her silver tow'r:
Or as an open door expos'd;
with cedar boards secure.
The Church:
10 Did He not see me like a wall?
my breasts as tow'rs to rise?
O then like one who favour found
appear'd I in his eyes!
11 A vineyard in a fruitful soil
had Solomon; and there
The vineyard leafed out to them
who vineyard-keepers were
Each one a thousand silverlings
for it's rare fruit repays.
12 My vineyard is before mine eyes
and in my view always.
Thy part, O Solomon, to Thee
a thousand justly bears;
And they who keep the fruit thereof
two hundred have for theirs.
13 O Thou who in the gardens dwel'st!
they who companions are,
To thy delightful voice attend:
O cause Thou me to hear!
14 Make haste, O my Beloved one,
like a swift roe to me;
And like a fawn of harts upon
the spicy mountains be!