Christ again praiseth the beauty of his Church: her sincere and simple intention, her temporal occupations directed to God's glory, her pastors who like nurses give bread of good doctrine to little ones, her faith and good works, the preaching of Christ's Passion, the administration of Sacraments whereby the Church, Christ's mystical body, is joined to him her head, an inexpugnable fortress wherein both Jews and Gentiles are fed with the principles of Christian doctrine. 6. Christ dwelleth in mortified and devout minds. 7. The Church triumphant is without spot, and every particular soul entering into heaven; the B. Virgin Mother was also in this life always immaculate. 16. All temptations, whether they be in manifest cruelty or in flattering subtlety, make constant souls more grateful to God.Christ againe praiseth the beautie of his Church: her sincere and simple intention, her temporal occupations directed to Gods glorie, her pastors who like nurses geue bread of good doctrine to litle ones, her faith and good workes, the preaching of Christs Passion, the administration of Sacraments wherby the Church, Christs mystical bodie, is ioyned to him her head, an inexpugnable fortresse wherin both Iewes and Gentiles are fed with the principles of Christian doctrin. 6. Christ dwelleth in mortified and deuout mindes. 7. The Church triumphant is without spotte, and euerie particular soule entring into heauen; the B. Virgin Mother was also in this life alwayes immaculate. 16. Al tentations, whether they be in manifest crueltie or in flatering suteltie, make constant soules more gratful to God.✦
How beautiful art thou my love, how beautiful art thou! thine eyes as it were of doves, besides that, which lieth hid within. Thy hairs as the flocks of goats, which have come up from mount Galaad.HOw a beautiful art thou my loue, how beautiful art thou! thine b eies as it were of doues, besides that, which lyeth hid within. Thy c heares as the flockes of goates, which haue come vp from mount Galaad.<Sponsus>Quam pulchra es, amica mea ! quam pulchra es ! Oculi tui columbarum, absque eo quod intrinsecus latet. Capilli tui sicut greges caprarum quæ ascenderunt de monte Galaad.
2Thy teeth as flocks of them that are shorn, which have come up from the lavatory, all with twins, and there is no barren among them.Thy d teeth as flockes of them that are shorne, which haue come vp from the lauatorie, al with e twinnes, and there is no barren among them.Dentes tui sicut greges tonsarum quæ ascenderunt de lavacro ; omnes gemellis fœtibus, et sterilis non est inter eas.
3Thy lips as a scarlet lace: and thy speech sweet. As a piece of a pomegranate, so are also thy cheeks, besides that which lieth hid within.Thy f lippes as a scarlet lace: and thy speach sweete. As à peece of a pomegranate, so are also thy g cheekes, besides that which lyeth hid within.Sicut vitta coccinea labia tua, et eloquium tuum dulce. Sicut fragmen mali punici, ita genæ tuæ, absque eo quod intrinsecus latet.
4Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks: a thousand clypei: a mark to aim at; light round shields, bucklers hang on it, all the armour of the valiants.Thy h necke is as the i towre of Dauid, which is built with bulworkes: a thousand targattes hang on it, al the armour of the valiants.Sicut turris David collum tuum, quæ ædificata est cum propugnaculis ; mille clypei pendent ex ea, omnis armatura fortium.
5Thy two breasts as two fawns the twins of a roe, which feed among the lilies,Thy k two breastes as two fawnes the twinnes of a roe, which feede among the lilies,Duo ubera tua sicut duo hinnuli, capreæ gemelli, qui pascuntur in liliis.
6till the day aspiret: to strive toward a goal; to breathe: (of the day) to grow cool as the evening breeze rises, and the shadows decline. I will go to the mount of myrrh, and to the little hill of frankincense.til the day aspire, and the shadowes decline. l I wil goe to the mount of myrrhe, and to the little hil of frankencense.Donec aspiret dies, et inclinentur umbræ, vadam ad montem myrrhæ, et ad collem thuris.
7Thou art all fair O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.Thou art al fayre ô my loue, and there is m not a spotte in thee.Tota pulchra es, amica mea, et macula non est in te.
8Come from Libanus my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the head of Amena, from the top of Sanir and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the mountains of leopards.Come from Libanus my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the head of Amena, from the toppe of Sanir & Hermon, from the dennes of lions, from the mountaynes of leopardes.Veni de Libano, sponsa mea : veni de Libano, veni, coronaberis : de capite Amana, de vertice Sanir et Hermon, de cubilibus leonum, de montibus pardorum.
9Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister spouse, thou hast wounded my heart in one of thine eyes, and in one hair of thy neck.Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister spouse, thou hast wounded my heart in one of thine eies, and in one heare of thy necke.Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea, sponsa ; vulnerasti cor meum in uno oculorum tuorum, et in uno crine colli tui.
10How beautiful are thy breasts my sister spouse! thy breasts are more beautiful than wine, and the odour of thine ointments above all aromatical spices.How beautiful are thy breastes my sister spouse! thy breastes are more beautiful then wine, and the odour of thine ointmentes aboue al aromatical spices.Quam pulchræ sunt mammæ tuæ, soror mea sponsa ! pulchriora sunt ubera tua vino, et odor unguentorum tuorum super omnia aromata.
11Thy lips my spouse are as an honeycomb distilling, honey and milk are under thy tongue: and the odour of thy garments as the odour of frankincense.Thy lippes my spouse are as an honie combe distilling, honie and milke are vnder thy tongue: and the odour of thy garments as the odour of frankincense.Favus distillans labia tua, sponsa ; mel et lac sub lingua tua : et odor vestimentorum tuorum sicut odor thuris.
12My sister spouse is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up.My sister spouse is a garden inclosed, a garden inclosed, a fountaine sealed vp.Hortus conclusus soror mea, sponsa, hortus conclusus, fons signatus.
13Thy offsprings a paradise of pomegranates with orchard fruits. cypri: the cypress tree; henna, the fragrant henna shrub with spikenard,Thy offsprings a paradise of pomegranats with orchard fruites. Cypres with spiknard,Emissiones tuæ paradisus malorum punicorum, cum pomorum fructibus, cypri cum nardo.
14spikenard, and saffron, sweet cane and cinnamon, with all the trees of Libanus, myrrh and aloes with all the chief ointments.spiknard, and safren, sweete cane and cinnamon, with al the trees of Libanus, myrrhe and aloes with al the chiefe ointmentes.Nardus et crocus, fistula et cinnamomum, cum universis lignis Libani ; myrrha et aloë, cum omnibus primis unguentis.
15The fountain of gardens: the well of living waters, which run with violence from Libanus.The fountaine of gardens: the wel of liuing waters, which runne with violence from Libanus.Fons hortorum, puteus aquarum viventium, quæ fluunt impetu de Libano.
16Arise Northwind, and come Southwind, blow through my garden, and let the aromatical spices thereof flow.n Arise Northwinde, & come Southwinde, blow through my garden, and let the aromatical spices therof flowe.<Sponsa>Surge, aquilo, et veni, auster : perfla hortum meum, et fluant aromata illius.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.