Canticle of Canticles 7
A further description of the graces of the church the spouse of Christ.
Quid videbis in Sulamite, nisi choros castrorum? Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui in calceamentis, filia principis! Juncturæ femorum tuorum sicut monilia quæ fabricata sunt manu artificis.
What shalt thou see in the Sulamitess but the companies of camps? How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter! The joints of thy thighs are like jewels, that are made by the hand of a skilful workman.
Umbilicus tuus crater tornatilis, numquam indigens poculis. Venter tuus sicut acervus tritici vallatus liliis.
Thy navel is like a round bowl never wanting cups. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies.
Duo ubera tua sicut duo hinnuli, gemelli capreæ.
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
Collum tuum sicut turris eburnea; oculi tui sicut piscinæ in Hesebon quæ sunt in porta filiæ multitudinis. Nasus tuus sicut turris Libani, quæ respicit contra Damascum.
Thy neck as a tower of ivory. Thy eyes like the fishpools in Hesebon, which are in the gate of the daughter of the multitude. Thy nose is as the tower of Libanus, that looketh toward Damascus.
Caput tuum ut Carmelus; et comæ capitis tui sicut purpura regis vincta canalibus.
Thy head is like Carmel: and the hairs of thy head as the purple of the king bound in the channels.
Quam pulchra es, et quam decora, carissima, in deliciis!
How beautiful art thou, and how comely, my dearest, in delights!
Statura tua assimilata est palmæ, et ubera tua botris.
Thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
Dixi: Ascendam in palmam, et apprehendam fructus ejus; et erunt ubera tua sicut botri vineæ, et odor oris tui sicut malorum.
I said: I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of the fruit thereof: and thy breasts shall be as the clusters of the vine: and the odour of thy mouth like apples.
Guttur tuum sicut vinum optimum, dignum dilecto meo ad potandum, labiisque et dentibus illius ad ruminandum.
Thy throat like the best wine, worthy for my beloved to drink, and for his lips and his teeth to ruminate.
Ego dilecto meo, et ad me conversio ejus.
I to my beloved, and his turning is towards me.
Veni, dilecte mi, egrediamur in agrum, commoremur in villis.
Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us abide in the villages.
Mane surgamus ad vineas: videamus si floruit vinea, si flores fructus parturiunt, si floruerunt mala punica; ibi dabo tibi ubera mea.
Let us get up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vineyard flourish, if the flowers be ready to bring forth fruits, if the pomegranates flourish: there will I give thee my breasts.
Mandragoræ dederunt odorem in portis nostris omnia poma: nova et vetera, dilecte mi, servavi tibi.
The mandrakes give a smell. In our gates are all fruits: the new and the old, my beloved, I have kept for thee.