CH. V. 11 His head is wrought and pure gold: His locks are bushy-black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves by canals of waters, Washed in milk, sitting by the full [pool] 13 His cheeks are as beds of aromatics[As] towers of perfumes.. His lips, lilies dropping liquid myrrh. 14 His hands, rings of gold set with the tarshish: His body, bright ivory covered with sapphires. 15 His legs, pillars of marble upon pedestals of gold; His aspect, like Lebanon, noble as the cedars: 16 His mouth, sweetness itself; yea he is altogether desirable! This is my beloved, and this is my friend, 1 Whither is thy beloved gone, O most beautiful of women? SPOUSE. 2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, Unto the beds of aromatics; To feed in his garden, and to gather lilies. 3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: He feedeth among the lilies. CH. VI. SECTION X. [5th Evening.] BRIDEGROOM. 4 Beautiful art thou my consort, as Tirzah, CH. VI. Comely as Jerusalem, formidable as bannered [towers.] 5 Turn away thine eyes from me, 6 Thy hair is like a flock of goats, pomegranate, Are thy cheeks behind thy veil. 8 Threescore queens are they, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number. 9 An only one is my dove, my accomplished one ; The only one of her mother, The darling of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and they blessed her; her; 10 Who is this that looketh forth as the dawn, 'Beautiful as the moon, splendid as the sun, 6 And awful as the streamers?' 11 Into the garden of nuts I went down, 12 Ere I was aware, my soul, placed me CH. VI. VIRGIN 1. 13 Return, return, O Solima! Return, return, that we may behold thee! How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince's daughter! The cincture of thy loins is like jewellery, The work of an artist's hands. 2 Thy clasp a round goblet, which wanteth not mixed wine : Thy body a heap of wheat, encompassed with lilies. 3 Thy breasts are like twin fawns of the roe: 4 Thy neck is like a tower of ivory. Thine eyes are as the pools in Heshbon, Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon, 5 Thy head upon thee is like Carmel ; SECOND VIRGIN. The king is detained in the galleries. BRIDEGROOM. 6 How beautiful and how pleasing art thou, O love, for delights! 7 This thy stature is like the palm-tree, And thy breasts are like [its] clusters. CH. VII. 8 I said, I will ascend the palm tree; I will clasp its branches : And thy breasts shall be to me as clusters of the vine, And the odour of thy breath like citrons. 9 Also thy palate is as the best wine, Which is sent to those whom I love for their integrity; And causeth the lips of them who are asleep to murmur. SPOUSE. 10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. SECTION XII. [6th Evening.]. SPOUSE. 11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the fields, Let us lodge in the villages. 12 We shall be ready for the vineyards, thee my affections.. There will I grant thee 13 The mandrakes yield their odour, And over our gates are all precious fruits, [Which] my beloved, I have reserved for thee. O that thou wert as my brother, That sucked the breasts of my mother! I would kiss thee, and not be despised. CH. VIII: 2 I would lead thee, I would bring thee Into the house of my mother, who would in struct me. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, [To the Virgins.] 3 His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraceth me. 4 I adjure ye, O daughters of Jerusalem, SECTION XIII. [7th Morning.] VIRGINS. 5 Who is this that came from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? BRIDEGROOM. Under the citron tree I courted thee; unto me. SPOUSE. 6 Place me as a signet upon thine heart, As a signet upon thine arm : The darts thereof are darts of fire, If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, It would utterly be contemned. |