THE SONG OF SOLOMON Rendered into ENGLISH VERSE, By R. S.
EDINBVRGH, Prined in the Year, MDCC.
SOLOMON's SONG,
Chap. I.
Verse 1.
THe Song of Songs
Which is King
Solomon's.
2
Let him with Kisses of his mouth me Kiss,
For that thy love than Wine farr better is.
3
Because the Savour and the fragrant Smell
Of thy good Oyntments others that excell,
Thy name is as an Ointment forth that's pour'd,
Therefore the Virgins Love to thee afford.
4
Draw me we will run after thee; the King,
Hath brought me to his Chambers; we will sing
Be glad, and joy in Thee: They Love we will
Mind more than Wine: The Upright love Thee still.
5
Tho' I am black, yet I most comely am,
(O ye the Daughters of
Jerusalem)
Like to the Tents that
Kedar Fields are on,
Or like the Curtains of King
Solomon.
6
Look not upon the Blackness of my Hue,
Because the
Sun doth very oft me view,
My Mothers Children angry were and hot,
To keep the Vineyards made it be my Lot,
Yet my own Vineyard I have keeped not.
7
Tell me, O thou, whom my Soul loves alone,
Where thou dost Feed, where thy Flocks rest at noon;
For why should I thus turned be aside,
By th' flocks of thy companions to abide?
8
If thou know'st not, O thou the fairest Dame
Among thy Sex, turn thou thy way amain,
By th' Footsteps of the Flocks, and so abide,
Feeding thy Kids, the shepherds Tents beside.
9
O thou my Love, I have compared thee,
To Horses that in
Pharaoh's Chariots be.
11
To thee we'll Borders make of beaten Gold
With studs of Silver of the finest Mold.
12
While that the King is sitting at his Board
My Spikenard doth a pleasant Smell afford.
13
A bundle of Myrrhe my well belov'd's to me.
He all the Night betwixt my Breasts shall be.
14
And my Belov'd is as a Cluster fair
Of Camphire in
Engedi's Vineyards rare.
15
Behold thou'rt fair, behold thou'rt fair my Love,
Thy eyes appear like to those of a Dove.
16
Behold thou'rt fair and comely to be seen:
O thou my Love: our Bed is also green.
17
Our House it's Beams are of the Cedar-Tree,
Our Rafters of the Fir composed be.
CHAP. II.
Verse 1.
I am the Rose of
Sharon, and I am
The Lillie of the Valleys; I'm the same.
2
Ev'n as the Lillie is among the Thorn,
So is my Love 'mong Daughters that are born.
3
As th' Apple-Tree among Trees of the Wood
So 'mong the Sons appeareth my Belov'd;
I under's shade with great delight did rest.
His Fruit it was then pleasant to my Tast.
4
Unto the banquet house he did me move,
And over me he spread his banner love.
5
With flaggons stay, with Apples comfort me;
For I am sick of Love exceedingly.
6
Under my Head his left Hand he doth place,
And his right Hand doth often me embrace.
7
I charge you Daughters of
Jerusalem,
By th' Roes and Hynds o'th' field, I say by them▪
[Page 7]That for to stir, or 'wake my love, you cease,
Untill the time my welbeloved please.
8
The Voice of my belov'd! lo! He comes leaping
Upon the Mountains, on the Hills comes skipping.
9
My Love is like a young Hart or a Roe:
And he behind our Wall is standing: lo,
Out at the Windows he looks forth to view,
And thro' the Lattess He himself doth shew.
10
My welbeloved spake to me; did say,
Rise up my love, my fair one, come away.
11
For lo the Winter's past, the Rain is over,
And gone away; beloved, do not hover.
12
The Flowers upon the Earth appearing stand,
The singing of the Birds is now at hand,
The Turtle's Voice is heard within our land.
13
From the figg-tree her green figgs sprout & swell'
The Vine with tender Grapes gives a good Smell.
[Page 8]Arise, make hast, my love, and come away,
O my fair one, arise, and make no stay.
14
My Dove! that in the in Clefts o'th'Rocks abid'ft;
In secret places of the Stairs resid'st,
O let me see thy Face, and thy Voice hear,
Thy Voice is sweet, thy Countenance is fair.
15
Our Vines have tender Grapes: now therefore, go,
Take us the Foxes, little Foxes too,
That hurt the fruitfull Vines, and spoil them so.
16
My well belov'd is mine, and I am his;
Among the Lillies fair his feeding is.
17
Untill the day do break and shaddowes flie;
O my beloved turn to me, and be
Like to a young Hart, or like to a Roe
Skipping on
Bether's mountains to and fro.
CHAP. III.
Verse 1.
BY Night, on Bed, whom my Soul loves I sought
I sought Him, but alas! I found Him not.
2
I will rise now, and round the city go;
And in the streets, and broad ways to and fro',
Whom my Soul loves I'le seek with my whole mind.
I sought him but no ways I could him find
3
The Watchmen that did walk the City round,
Although I found him not, yet me they found;
To whom I said; Ho watchmen! did you see
Him whom my very Soul loves ferventlie?
4
T'was but a little I from them was gone,
When I found him my Soul was set upon;
I held him, but I would not let him go,
Till that I had conducted him into
My Mothers House, and to the very Room
Of her that first conceav'd me in her Womb.
5
I charge you, daughters of
Jerusalem,
By th' Roes, and by the Hinds, I say by them,
That for to stirr, or 'wake my Love you cease,
Untill the time my welbeloved please.
6
Who's this that from the wilderness doth stirr
Like smoaky Pillars, all perfum'd with Myrrh
And Frankincense, with all the Powders rare
That brought unto us by the Merchants are?
8
They all hold Swords, in warr expert; for why?
Each man a Sword hath girt upon his Thigh,
Lest dangers of the night should terrifie.
9
A Bed, or Chariot; King
Solomon
Made to Himself, o'th'Wood of
Lebanon.
10
Whereof the Pillars were of silver mold,
The Bottom also it was made of Gold;
The Cover Purple; the midst pav'd with Love
For th'Daughters of
Jerusalems Behove.
11
Go,
Zions Daughters, See King
Solomon
With's Crown, that Crown his Mother put upon
His Head, that day he his Espousals had;
And in the day wherein his heart was Glad.
CHAP. IV.
Verse 1.
BEhold, thou'rt fair, behold, thourt fair, my love,
Within thy locks thou hast eyes of a Dove;
[Page 11]And as a Flock of Goats that do appear
From the Mount
Gilead: So doth thy Hair.
2
Thy Teeth are like unto a Flock of Sheep
Ev'n shorn, and comeing from the waters deep,
Each one whereof bears twins, and there is none
Among them barren; not so much as one.
3
Thy Lipps like to a Scarlet threed appear,
Thy Speech is comely; pleasant to mine Ear.
Within thy Locks, thy Temples they are set
Ev'n like unto a piece of
Pomegranate.
4
Thy Neck is like King
David's Tow'r, which He
Built for an Armoury, whereon there be
A Thousand Bucklers hanging, fit for VVar;
All shields of men that strong and mighty are.
5
Thy Breasts like two Young twin Roes do appear,
Both which among the Lillies feeding are.
6
Till the day break & shaddows flee; from hence
I'l get me to the mounts of Myrrh, and thence,
Will also go to th'Hill of
Frankincense.
8
VVith me from
Lebanon, my Spouse came up,
VVith me from
Lebanon; look from the Top
Of
Shenir, Hermon; Amana also,
The Lions Denns, and Le'pards Mountains too.
9
Thou'st ravished my Heart within my Breast
My Sister, Spouse; my heart thou ravisht hast
VVith one glance of thine eye, & with one chain
Encompassing thy Neck, thou didst it gain.
10
O thou my Sister, Spouse: How fair's thy love!
I doe esteem and value it above
The choicest Wine; Yea and the fragrant Smell
Thy Ointments Yield, all Spices do excell.
11
As th'Hony-comb, O Spouse, drops to the ground
So are thy Lips. Honey▪ and Milk are found
Beneath thy tongue; thy Garments give a Smell
Which doth ev'n that of
Lebanon excell.
12
Unto a Garden, fenc'd about and barr'd,
My Sister, spouse, may fitly be compar'd.
[Page 13]Like to a spring of Waters closelie shut;
A Fountain whereupon a Seal is put.
13
Thy Plants, an Orchard of Pomegranats are,
With pleasant Fruits, Camphire, with Spikenard rare.
14
Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus also
And Cinamom, with all the Trees that grow
Of Frankincense, of Myrrhe and Aloes
With all the Spices, and of them the choice.
15
A well of Waters that do ever run:
A Fount of Gardens; streams from
Lebanon.
16
Awake O North Wind; South Wind come and blow
Upon my Garden, make the Spices flow.
Let my beloved to his Garden hast,
And eat his Fruits most pleasant to his Tast.
CHAP. V.
Verse 1.
MY Sister, Spouse, I'm in my garden fair,
My Myrrh, my Spice by me now gather'd are.
[Page 14]My Honey with my Honey-Comb, also
I've ate; My Wine, with Milk I've drunken too;
Eat, O Beloved! Drink, and satisfie
Your selves, O Friends, Yea, drink abundantlie.
2
I sleep, but yet my heart's awake. It is
The voice of my Belov'd that knocks; 'tis his,
Thus saying: Open unto me, my Love,
My undefi'ld, My Sister, and my Dove,
For with the dew my Head's alreadie fill'd
And my Locks with the drops, by night distill'd.
3
I have put of my Coat, how shall
I then
(Yea how shall I now) put it on agen?
And having wash'd my Feet most carefully,
How shall I now defile them? How shall I?
4
By the hole of the Door, his hands, my Love
Put in; my Bowels then for him did move.
5
To my Belov'd I rose, the Door to ope',
And then with Myrrh my very Hands did drop,
My Fingers too sweet smelling Myrrh distill'd,
Which all the handles of the Lock had fill'd.
6
I opened to my Love, but h'had withdraw'n
Himself away; and He away was gone.
My Soul fail'd when He did upon me call;
I sought Him, but I found Him not at all.
When I Him sought, He did no Notice take,
And when I call'd, He did no Answer make.
7
The Watch-men that about the City go,
Found me, as I was wandring to and fro'
They smote & wounded me, they that did watch
And keep the walls, my vail did from me snatch.
8
O Daughters of
Jerusalem, I do,
Adjure You all, yea every one of You,
To tell my Love, when You him find, that I
Am sick, yea sick of Love exceedingly.
9
What's thy Beloved more than others are?
O thou the fairest of all Women fair,
What's thy beloved more than they? that thus
Concerning him, thou giv'st this Charge to us.
10
My welbeloved's white and ruddy, He
The Chief among tenthousands is to me.
11
His Head is as the pure and finest Gold,
His Locks are bushie, and in Curls do fold,
And black as any Raven to behold.
12
His Eyes, like Doves which by the Rivers sit,
Are washt with Milk, and also set most fit.
13
His Cheeks like to a Bed of Spices are,
And as sweet fragrant Flowrs they do appear.
His Lips like to the Lillies fair, that drop
Sweet smelling Myrrh from off their very Top.
14
As Gold Rings that with
Beryls garnsht are,
So do his Hands unto my sight appear.
His Belly's as bright
Ivory, array'd
With Saphires, and with them all overlay'd.
15
His Leggs, as Marble pillars I behold,
Set upon Sockets of the finest Gold;
His Countenance is like to Lebanon,
And stately Cedars growing thereupon.
16
His Mouth it is most sweet. Moreover, He
Is altogether Lovely unto me.
[Page 17]O Daughters of
Jerusalem! This, This
My Friend; yea and my well Beloved is.
CHAP. VI.
Verse 1.
Where's thy beloved gone? O thou most fair
Among all Women that the fairest are?
O whither is He turnd aside? that we
May go along and seek thy Love with thee.
2
My well beloved's to his Garden gon,
To feed i'th' Gardens; and to rest upon
The Beds of Spices; and to pluck the fair
And pleasant Lilies that are growing there.
3
My wel beloved's mine, and I am his
Among the Lilies fair he feeding is.
4
O thou my Love thou art exceeding fair;
For beauty, I'le to
Tirzah thee compare,
Jorus'lem like, with comeliness array'd
And terrible as Banners when display'd.
5
Thine Eyes from me O do thou tuan away,
Me vanquished and overcome have they;
[Page 18]And as a Flock of Goats that doth appear
[...]rom the Mount Gilead; so doth thy Hair.
6
Thy Teeth are like unto a Flock of Sheep,
Come up from washing in the waters deep,
Each one where of bears twins; and there is none
Among them barren; not so much as one.
7
Within thy Locks, thy Temples thy are set;
Ev'n like unto a piece of Pomegranate.
8
There's threescore Queens, and Concubines fourscore,
Of Virgins an innumerable Store.
9
My Dove, my Undefil'd's but one; her Mother,
That brought her forth, besides her, had no other;
The choice one too of her that did her bear;
The Virgins saw her, and they blessed her,
Yea and the Queens her maginfi'd and Prais'd
The Concubines her Glory also rais'd.
10
Who's she that looketh forth like to the Morn,
Fair as the Moon that doth the night adorne,
Ev'n as the Sun when it is shining clear,
And terrible as banners doth appear?
11
I went to the Nut Garden, there to view
The fruits that in the pleasant valley grew;
To see if that the Vine had flourished;
Or Pomegranates their Buds abroad had shed.
12
Ere that I was aware, my Soul made me
lnth' Chariots of
Amminadib, to be,
13
Return, return, O
Shulamite, come back,
Returne, that we may notice of thee take.
What is it in the
Shulamite, Ye'll see?
As 'twere, of Armies two, the Companie.
CHAP. VII.
Verse 1.
Thy Feet with shooes, how beautifull they are
O Princes Daughter! Yea and l'le compare
The Joints, that motion to thy Thighs impart
To Jewells, wrought by cunning Workmans Art.
2
Thy Navel's like a Goblet that is round,
And with much Precious Liquor doth abound:
Thy Belly is like to an Heap of Wheat
That's round about with fairest Liliesset.
4
Thy Neck is as a Towr of Ivory.
Thine Eyes like Fish-Pools that in
Hesbonly,
Hard by
Bathrabbim gate. Thy Nose alone
May be compar'd to th'Tow'r of
Lebanon,
Damascus-ward, as looking thereupon.
5
Thy Head is like unto Mount-Carmel fair.
And like the fairest Purple is thy Hair.
The King is held in's Galleri'es, walking there.
6
How fair! how pleasant! and how far above
All others, for Delights! art thou my Love!
7
Thy Stature, to a Palme tree's like, for shape;
Thy Breasts are like to Clusters of the grape.
8
I will, said I, up to the Palme tree go,
And of it's Boughs I will take hold also:
Thy Breasts shall be as Clusters of the Vine;
And the Smell of thy Nose, like Apples fine.
9
Thy Palat's like choise Vine, which for the sake
Of my Belov'd, a sweet descent doth make,
Causing the Lipps of those that steep, to speake.
10
I am my well Beloved's; and I see
[Page 21]That his Desire is always towards me.
11
Come my Beloved, to the Fields let's go,
And to the Villages; Let's lodge there too.
12
Come, let us early to the Vineyeards get,
Let's see if that the Vine have flourish'd yet,
Whither the tender Grape doth yet appear,
Or if the Pomegranats yet budded are.
13
The Mandrakes do a pleasant Smell afford;
And at our Gates all Pleasant fruits are stor'd,
Both New and old, which I've laid up for thee
O thou who art Beloved unto me.
CHAP. VIII.
Verse 1.
O that thou wert unto me, as my Brother
That suck'd the very br
[...]ast of my dear Mother
I finding thee without, would kiss thee too
Nor should I be despised so to do;
2
Unto my Mothers House I'de thee conduct
And bring thee thither: she would me Instruct
I'de cause thee for to drink of spiced VVine,
And of the Juice of Pomgranates most fine.
3
Under my Head, his left Hand he should place
And with his Right Hand he should me embrace.
4
O Daughters of
Jerusalem I do
Adjure You all, and ev'ry one of you
That for to stir, or'wake my Love you cease
Untill the time my well beloved please.
5
Who's this that cometh from the VVilderness,
And leaning on her well beloved is?
There I thee raised under th'Apple Tree
Ther'twas thy Mother brought thee forth Yea she
That did the bear; 'twas there I raised thee.
6
Set me, like as a Seal upon thy Heart,
And as a Seal upon thine Arm, insert.
For Love is strong as Death; and Jealousie,
Is like into the Grave for Crueltie,
It's Coals are Coales of Fire and from the same
Proceeds a mighty and most Veh'ment flame.
7
Love cannot be by many waters quench't,
Neither can it by any floods be drench't
Yea as for Love should any man bestow
The Substance of his House, it were too low
A value to be put upon it so.
8
We have a little Sister; but, alace!
She hath no breasts; when er'e it comes to pass
That she be spoken for, what shall we doe
For her that day, she being stated so.
9
If that she be a wall, then on the same
VVe will a Palace of pure Silver frame.
And if she prove to be a doore, then we
Will her enclose with Boards of Cedar Tree.
10
I am a wall, for building on most fit,
Yea and my Breasts are like the Tow'rs of it.
Then was I ev'n as one that he did prize,
Or one that had found favour in his Eyes,
11
At
Baal-hamon, Solomon he had
A Vine-Yard which with fruitfull Vines was clad
This Vine Yard he to Keepers did out let
Each one of them were for the Fruit of it,
Bound and obliged also for to bring
A thousand Silver pieces to the King,
12
My Vine-Yard which is mine, before me is;
And thou (O
Solomon) must have for this
A thousand pieces, Yea and these that doe
Attend it's fruit, must have two hundred too.
13
O thou that dwellest in the Gardens fair
Lo, the Companions attending are
Unto thy Voice; Cause me the same to hear,
14
Make hast, beloved and be like unto
A Young Hart, or be like unto a Roe
On th'Mounts of Spices skipping, to and fro.
FINIS.