Canticle of Canticles 1

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,	1
2 Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.	2 Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth!
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 Your name spoken is a spreading perfume-
4 I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.	4 Draw me!-
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 I am as dark-but lovely,
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 Do not stare at me because I am swarthy,
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 Tell me, you whom my heart loves,
8 To my company of horsemen, in Pharao's chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.	8 If you do not know,
9 Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove's, thy neck as jewels.	9 To the steeds of Pharaoh's chariots
10 We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.	10 Your cheeks lovely in pendants,
11 While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.	11 We will make pendants of gold for you,
12 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.	12 For the king's banquet
13 A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.	13 My lover is for me a sachet of myrrh
14 Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.	14 My lover is for me a cluster of henna
15 Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.	15 Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved,
16 The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.	16 Ah, you are beautiful, my lover-
	17 the beams of our house are cedars,