Canticle of Canticles 1

DOUAI-RHEIMS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,	1 Bride: "May he kiss me with the kiss of his mouth."
2 Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.	2 Groom to Bride: "So much better than wine are your breasts, fragranced with the finest perfumes."
3 Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee.	3 Bride to Groom: "Your name is oil that has been poured out; therefore, the maidens have loved you. Draw me forward."
4 I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.	4 Chorus to Bride: "We will run after you in the odor of your perfumes."
5 Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.	5 Bride to Chorus: "The king has led me into his storerooms."
6 Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions.	6 Chorus to Bride: "We will exult and rejoice in you, remembering your breasts above wine."
7 If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.	7 Groom to Bride: "The righteous love you."
8 To my company of horsemen, in Pharao's chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.	8 Bride to Chorus: "O daughters of Jerusalem: I am black, but shapely, like the tabernacles of Kedar, like the tents of Solomon."
9 Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove's, thy neck as jewels.	9 "Do not be concerned that I am dark, for the sun has changed my color."
10 We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.	10 "The sons of my mother have fought against me. They have made me the keeper of the vineyards. My own vineyard I have not kept."
11 While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.	11 Bride to Groom: "Reveal to me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you recline at midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of your companions."
12 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.	12 Groom to Bride: "If you yourself do not know, O most beautiful among women, then go out and follow after the steps of the flocks, and pasture your young goats beside the tabernacles of the shepherds."
13 A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.	13 "O my love, I have compared you to my company of horsemen against the chariots of Pharaoh."
14 Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.	14 "Your cheeks are beautiful, like those of a turtledove. Your neck is like a bejeweled collar."
15 Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.	15 Chorus to Bride: "We will fashion for you chains of gold, accented with reddened silver."
16 The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.	16 Groom to Bride: "The timbers of our houses are of cedar; our ceilings are of cypress."