The Church teacheth her children that Christ is delighted with the godly desires, and fruitful works of the faithful. 3. Christ again commendeth his Church, well composed of distinct orders (some governing, some retired in cloisters from this world, the rest also exercising works of mercy, in the troubles of this life) all together making a complete army, terrible to all enemies. 4. The more any contemplate God's Majesty, the better they perceive that he is incomprehensible. 7. Many true pastors, more hirelings, that also preach truth, but for temporal commodity: 8. and innumerable faithful souls in the Church, all which are but one body in unity of faith. 9. The voice of the old synagogue, admiring the beauty of Christ's Church. 12. The Church of Christ exhorteth the Synagogue of the Jews to return to Christ.The Church teacheth her children that Christ is delighted with the godlie desires, and fructful workes of the faithful. 3. Christ againe commendeth his Church, wel composed of distinct orders (some gouerning, some retired in cloisters from this world, the rest also exercising workes of mercie, in the trubles of this life) al together making a complete armie, terrible to al enimies. 4. The more anie contemplate Gods Maiestie, the better they perceiue that he is incomprehensible. 7. Manie true pastores, more hyrelinges, that also preach truth, but for temporal commoditie: 8. and innumerable faithful soules in the Church, al which are but one bodie in vnitie of faith. 9. The voice of the old synagogue, admiring the beautie of Christs Church. 12. The Church of Christ exhorteth the Synagogue of the Iewes to returne to Christ.✦
My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.MY a beloued is gone downe into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feede in the gardens, and to gather lilies.<Sponsa>Dilectus meus descendit in hortum suum ad areolam aromatum, ut pascatur in hortis, et lilia colligat.
2I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies.I to my beloued, and my beloued to me, who feedeth among the lilies.Ego dilecto meo, et dilectus meus mihi, qui pascitur inter lilia.
3Thou art fair O my love, sweet, and comely as Jerusalem: terrible as the army of a camp set in acies ordinata: a display or arrangement; battle order, ranks drawn up.b Thou art fayre ô my loue, sweete, and comelie as Hierusalem: terrible as the armie of a campe set in aray.<Sponsus>Pulchra es, amica mea ; suavis, et decora sicut Jerusalem ; terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.
4Turn away thine eyes from me, because they have made me flee away. Thy hairs as a flock of goats, which have appeared from Galaad.c Turne away thine eies from me, because they haue made me flee away. Thy heares as a flocke of goates, which haue appeared from Galaad.Averte oculos tuos a me, quia ipsi me avolare fecerunt. Capilli tui sicut grex caprarum quæ apparuerunt de Galaad.
5Thy teeth as a flock of sheep, which have come up from the lavacro: a toilet; the washing place, a bath or laver, all with twins, and there is no barren among them.Thy teeth as à flocke of sheepe, which haue come vp from the lauatorie, al with twinnes, and there is no barren among them.Dentes tui sicut grex ovium quæ ascenderunt de lavacro : omnes gemellis fœtibus, et sterilis non est in eis.
6As the bark of a pomegranate, so are thy cheeks beside thy hidden.As the barke of a pomegranate, so are thy cheekes beside thy hidden.Sicut cortex mali punici, sic genæ tuæ, absque occultis tuis.
7There are threescore queens, & fourscore concubines, and of young maids there is no number.There are d threescore queenes, & e fourescore concubines, and of f yongmaydes there is no number.Sexaginta sunt reginæ, et octoginta concubinæ, et adolescentularum non est numerus.
8My dove is one, my perfect one, she is the only to her mother, electa: chosen by vote, the predestined; choice, singled out as excellent to her that bare her. The daughters have seen her, and declared her to be most blessed: the queens and concubines, and have praised her.My doue is g one, my perfect one, she is the only to her mother, elect to her that bare her. The daughters haue seene her, and declared her to be most blessed: the queenes and concubines, and haue praysed her.Una est columba mea, perfecta mea, una est matris suæ, electa genetrici suæ. Viderunt eam filiæ, et beatissimam prædicaverunt ; reginæ et concubinæ, et laudaverunt eam.
9What is she, that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, elect as the sun, terrible as the army of a camp set in array?h What is she, that cometh forth as the morning rysing, fayre as the moone, elect as the sunne, terrible as the armie of a campe set in aray?Quæ est ista quæ progreditur quasi aurora consurgens, pulchra ut luna, electa ut sol, terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata ?
10I came down into the garden of nuts, to see the fruits of the valleys, and to look if the vineyard had flourished, and the pomegranates budded.I came downe into the garden of nuttes, to see the fruites of the valles, and to looke if the vineyarde had florished, and the pomegranats budded.<Sponsa>Descendi in hortum nucum, ut viderem poma convallium, et inspicerem si floruisset vinea, et germinassent mala punica.
11I knew not: my soul troubled me for the chariots of Aminadab.I knew not: my soule trubled me for the chariotes of Aminadab.Nescivi : anima mea conturbavit me, propter quadrigas Aminadab.
12Return, return O Sulamitess: return, return that we may behold thee.i Returne, returne ô Sulamitesse: returne, returne that we may behold thee.<Chorus>Revertere, revertere, Sulamitis ! revertere, revertere ut intueamur te.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.