Christ professeth himself the flower of mankind: yea Lord of all creatures. 2. The Church excelleth all other societies: in the Church the godly excel sinners, among the innocent and holy, the Virgin Marie surpasseth all. 3. The Church praising Christ resteth secure under his protection. 7. He for the weak's sake permitteth her not to be molested, till she be prepared to suffer with patience. 8. She feeling Christ's assistance, confesseth, and preacheth boldly his Gospel, and truth against all Pagans, and heretics. 9. Who though he shew not himself visibly, 10. yet encourageth her to approach unto him: 15. commandeth his pastors to destroy heresies. 16. And so she reposeth in him.Christ professeth himself the floure of mankinde: yea Lord of al creatures. 2. The Church excelleth al other societies: in the Church the godlie excel sinners, among the innocent and holie, the virgin Marie surpasseth al. 3. The Church praising Christ resteth secure vnder his protectiõ. 7. He for the weakes sake permitteth her not to be molested, til she be prepared to suffer with patience. 8. She feeling Christs assistance, confesseth, & preacheth boldly his Gospel, & truth against al Paganes, and Heretikes. 9. Who though he shew not himself visibly, 10. yet encorageth her to approch vnto him: 15. commandeth his pastors to destroy heresies. 16. And so she reposeth in him.✦
I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valley.I AM a the flower of the filde, and the lilie of the valley.✦Ego flos campi, et lilium convallium.
2As the lily among the thorns, so is my love among the daughters.b As the lilie among the thornes, so is my loue among the daughters.✦<Sponsus>Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias.
3As the apple tree among trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. Under his shadow, whom I desired, I sat: and his fruit was sweet unto my throat.c As the apletree among trees of the woddes, so is my beloued among the sonnes. Vnder his shadow, whom I desired, I sate: and his fruite was sweete vnto my throte.✦<Sponsa>Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum, sic dilectus meus inter filios. Sub umbra illius quem desideraveram sedi, et fructus ejus dulcis gutturi meo.
4He brought me into the wine cellar, he hath ordinavit: gave a command; set in order, arranged, disposed in me charity.He brought me into the winceller, he hath ordered in me charitie.✦Introduxit me in cellam vinariam ; ordinavit in me caritatem.
5fulcite: to remain or to halt; prop up, support, sustain me up with flowers, stipate: a navigational instrument; surround, encircle me about with apples: because I languish with love.Stay me vp with flowers, compasse me about with apples: because I languish with loue.✦Fulcite me floribus, stipate me malis, quia amore langueo.
6His left hand under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.His lefthand vnder my head, and his righthand shal embrace me.✦Læva ejus sub capite meo, et dextera illius amplexabitur me.
7I adjure you O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and the harts of the fields, that you raise not, nor make the beloved to awake, until herself will.I adiure you ô daughters of Ierusalem, by the roes, and the hartes of the fildes, d that you rayse not, nor make the beloued to awake, vntil herselfe wil.✦<Sponsus>Adjuro vos, filiæ Jerusalem, per capreas cervosque camporum, ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam, quoadusque ipsa velit.
8The voice of my beloved, behold he cometh leaping in the mountains, leaping over the little hills:e The voice of my beloued, behold he cometh leaping in the mountaines, leaping ouer the little hilles:✦<Sponsa>Vox dilecti mei ; ecce iste venit, saliens in montibus, transiliens colles.
9my beloved is like unto a roe, and to a fawn of harts. Behold he standeth behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking forth by the grates.my beloued is like vnto a roe, and to a fawne of hartes. Behold he standeth behind our walle, f looking through the windowes, looking forth by the grates.Similis est dilectus meus capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum. En ipse stat post parietem nostrum, respiciens per fenestras, prospiciens per cancellos.
10Behold my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste my love, my dove, beautiful one, and come.Behold my beloued speaketh to me: g Arise, make hast my loue, my doue, beautiful one, and come.En dilectus meus loquitur mihi. <Sponsus>Surge, propera, amica mea, columba mea, formosa mea, et veni :
11For winter is now past, the rain is gone, and departed.For winter is now past, the rayne is gone, and departed.jam enim hiems transiit ; imber abiit, et recessit.
12The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land:The flowers haue appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtledoue is heard in our land:Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra ; tempus putationis advenit : vox turturis audita est in terra nostra ;
13the fig tree hath brought forth her green figs: the flourishing vineyards have given their savour. Arise my love, my beautiful one, and come.the figgetree hath brought forth her greene figges: the florishing vineyards haue geuen their sauour. Arise my loue, my beautiful one, & come.ficus protulit grossos suos ; vineæ florentes dederunt odorem suum. Surge, amica mea, speciosa mea, et veni :
14My dove in the holes of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me thy face, let thy voice sound in mine ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.My doue in the holes of the rocke, in the holow places of the wal, shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in mine eares: for thy voice is sweete, and thy face comely.columba mea, in foraminibus petræ, in caverna maceriæ, ostende mihi faciem tuam, sonet vox tua in auribus meis : vox enim tua dulcis, et facies tua decora.
15Catch us the little foxes, that destroy the vineyards: for our vineyard hath flourished.h Catch vs the litle foxes, that destroy the vineyards: for our vineyard hath florished.<Sponsa>Capite nobis vulpes parvulas quæ demoliuntur vineas : nam vinea nostra floruit.
16My beloved to me, and I to him, who feedeth among the lilies,i My beloued to me, and I to him, who feedeth among the lilies,Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi, qui pascitur inter lilia,
17till the day break, and the shadows decline. Return: be like, my beloved, to a roe, and to the fawn of harts upon the mountains of Bether.til the day breake, and the shadowes decline. Returne: be like, my beloued, to a roe, and to the fawne of hartes vpon the mountaynes of Bether.donec aspiret dies, et inclinentur umbræ. Revertere ; similis esto, dilecte mi, capreæ, hinnuloque cervorum super montes Bether.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.