[The Church]
2 Let Him with kisses of his mouth
be pleased me to kiss:
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]
8 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.
9 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 firr our galleries.
Source: The Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament, faithfully translated into English Metre: being the New-England Psalm-Book, revised and improved... (2nd ed.) #SI