Canticle of Canticles 2
Christ caresses his spouse: he invites her to him.
Ego flos campi, et lilium convallium.
I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys.
Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum, sic dilectus meus inter filios. Sub umbra illius quem desideraveram sedi, et fructus ejus dulcis gutturi meo.
As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow, whom I desired: and his fruit was sweet to my palate.
Introduxit me in cellam vinariam; ordinavit in me caritatem.
He brought me into the cellar of wine, he set in order charity in me.
Fulcite me floribus, stipate me malis, quia amore langueo.
Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples: because I languish with love.
Læva ejus sub capite meo, et dextera illius amplexabitur me.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.
Adjuro vos, filiæ Jerusalem, per capreas cervosque camporum, ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam, quoadusque ipsa velit.
I adjure you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and the harts of the field, that you stir not up, nor make the beloved to awake, till she please.
Vox dilecti mei; ecce iste venit, saliens in montibus, transiliens colles.
The voice of my beloved, behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills.
Similis est dilectus meus capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum. En ipse stat post parietem nostrum, respiciens per fenestras, prospiciens per cancellos.
My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart. Behold he standeth behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking through the lattices.
En dilectus meus loquitur mihi. Surge, propera, amica mea, columba mea, formosa mea, et veni:
Behold my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come.
jam enim hiems transiit; imber abiit, et recessit.
For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone.
Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra; tempus putationis advenit: vox turturis audita est in terra nostra;
The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtle is heard in our land:
ficus protulit grossos suos; vineæ florentes dederunt odorem suum. Surge, amica mea, speciosa mea, et veni:
The fig tree hath put forth her green figs: the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come:
columba mea, in foraminibus petræ, in caverna maceriæ, ostende mihi faciem tuam, sonet vox tua in auribus meis: vox enim tua dulcis, et facies tua decora.
My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.
Capite nobis vulpes parvulas quæ demoliuntur vineas: nam vinea nostra floruit.
Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vines: for our vineyard hath flourished.
Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi, qui pascitur inter lilia,
My beloved to me, and I to him who feedeth among the lilies,
donec aspiret dies, et inclinentur umbræ. Revertere; similis esto, dilecte mi, capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum super montes Bether.
Till the day break, and the shadows retire. Return: be like, my beloved, to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.