Canticle 2 -
CANT. II.
S PONSUS .
I AM the lily of the vale,
The rose of Sharon's fragrant dale.
Lo, as th' unsullied lily shows
Which in a brake of brambles grows,
My love so darkens all that are
By erring men admir'd for fair.
S PONSA .
L O , as the tree which citrons bears
Amidst the barren shrubs appears,
So my Belov'd excells the race
Of man in ev'ry winning grace.
In His desired shade I rest,
And with His fruits my palate feast:
He brought me to His magazines,
Replenish'd with refreshing wines:
And over me, a tender maid,
The ensigns of His love display'd.
With flagons O revive my pow'rs,
And strew my bed with fruits and flow'rs,
Whose taste and smell may cordial prove,
For, ah, my soul is sick with love:
Beneath my head Thy left arm place,
And gently with Thy right embrace.
S PONSUS .
You daughters of Jerusalem,
You branches of that holy stem,
I, by the mountain roes, and by
The harts which through the forest fly,
Adjure you that you silence keep,
Nor, till she call, disturb her sleep.
S PONSA .
I S it a dream? or do I hear
The Voice that so delights mine ear?
Lo, He o'er hills His steps extends,
And bounding from the cliffs descends:
Now, like a roe, outstrips the wind,
And leaves the breathed hart behind.
Behold! without my Dearest stays,
And through the lattice darts His rays.
Thus, as His looks, His words invite:
O thou, the crown of my delight.
Arise my love, my fair one rise,
O come, delaYour joy envies.
Lo, the sharp winter now is gone,
The threat'ning tempests overblown;
Hark, how the air's musicians sing,
And carol to the flow'ry Spring.
Chaste turtles, hous'd in shady groves,
Now murmur to their faithful loves;
Green figs on sprouting trees appear,
And vines sweet-smelling blossoms bear.
Arise my love, my fair one rise,
O come, delaYour joy envies.
O thou, my dove, whom terror locks
Within the crannies of the rocks,
Come forth, now like thyself appear,
And with thy voice delight Mine ear:
Thy voice is music, and thy face
All conquers with resistless grace.
My lov'd companions, for My sake,
These foxes, these young foxes, take,
Who thus our tender grapes destroy,
And in their prosp'rous rapine joy.
I am my Love's, and He is mine,
So mutuallYour souls combine!
He, Whose affection words exceeds,
His flock among the lilies feeds.
Return to me, my only Dear,
Stay till the morning star appear;
Stay till night's dusky shadows fly
Before the day's illustrious eye.
Run like a roe, or hart, upon
The lofty hills of Bitheron.
S PONSUS .
I AM the lily of the vale,
The rose of Sharon's fragrant dale.
Lo, as th' unsullied lily shows
Which in a brake of brambles grows,
My love so darkens all that are
By erring men admir'd for fair.
S PONSA .
L O , as the tree which citrons bears
Amidst the barren shrubs appears,
So my Belov'd excells the race
Of man in ev'ry winning grace.
In His desired shade I rest,
And with His fruits my palate feast:
He brought me to His magazines,
Replenish'd with refreshing wines:
And over me, a tender maid,
The ensigns of His love display'd.
With flagons O revive my pow'rs,
And strew my bed with fruits and flow'rs,
Whose taste and smell may cordial prove,
For, ah, my soul is sick with love:
Beneath my head Thy left arm place,
And gently with Thy right embrace.
S PONSUS .
You daughters of Jerusalem,
You branches of that holy stem,
I, by the mountain roes, and by
The harts which through the forest fly,
Adjure you that you silence keep,
Nor, till she call, disturb her sleep.
S PONSA .
I S it a dream? or do I hear
The Voice that so delights mine ear?
Lo, He o'er hills His steps extends,
And bounding from the cliffs descends:
Now, like a roe, outstrips the wind,
And leaves the breathed hart behind.
Behold! without my Dearest stays,
And through the lattice darts His rays.
Thus, as His looks, His words invite:
O thou, the crown of my delight.
Arise my love, my fair one rise,
O come, delaYour joy envies.
Lo, the sharp winter now is gone,
The threat'ning tempests overblown;
Hark, how the air's musicians sing,
And carol to the flow'ry Spring.
Chaste turtles, hous'd in shady groves,
Now murmur to their faithful loves;
Green figs on sprouting trees appear,
And vines sweet-smelling blossoms bear.
Arise my love, my fair one rise,
O come, delaYour joy envies.
O thou, my dove, whom terror locks
Within the crannies of the rocks,
Come forth, now like thyself appear,
And with thy voice delight Mine ear:
Thy voice is music, and thy face
All conquers with resistless grace.
My lov'd companions, for My sake,
These foxes, these young foxes, take,
Who thus our tender grapes destroy,
And in their prosp'rous rapine joy.
I am my Love's, and He is mine,
So mutuallYour souls combine!
He, Whose affection words exceeds,
His flock among the lilies feeds.
Return to me, my only Dear,
Stay till the morning star appear;
Stay till night's dusky shadows fly
Before the day's illustrious eye.
Run like a roe, or hart, upon
The lofty hills of Bitheron.
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.