Epithalamium, or Solomons Song Together with the Songs of Moses, Exod. 15 & Deut. 32. ... Digested into a known and familiar meeter, by Samuel Slater |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
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 | Epithalamium, or Solomons Song |  |
The Song of Solomon.
CHAP. I.
1.
The Song of Songs, which is Solomons.2.
The kisses of his gracious mouth,O let him grant to me;
For why? thy love I do account good,
better then wine to be.
3.
Through savor of thine oyntmentseven so thy name doth prove
As oyntment poured out, therefore
the Virgins do thee love.
4.
O draw thou me, and after theethen will we run apace;
Into his Chambers did the King
conduct me, through his grace.
We will be glad, and joy in thee;
remembring more then wine
Thy love: and as for Upright ones,
their love is surely thine.
5.
O Daughters of Jerusalem,though black, yet am I fair,
And comly; like as Kedar Tents,
and Solomon's Curtains are.
6.
Look not on me, because in stateof blackness ye me see;
Because the sun with scortching heat
hath looked upon me.
My mothers children angry were,
and on me they did frown;
A Vineyard-keeper they me made:
I did not keep mine own.
7.
O thou whom with my soul I love,do thou to me make known
Where thou dost feed, and make thy flocks
to rest themselvs at noon.
Alas my love, why should I be
as one that turns aside
By flocks of thy companions,
and so with them abide?
8.
If thou know'st not (O fairest one)by steps of flocks make speed;
Beside the shepherds tents, thy kids
thou maist with safety feed.
9.
O thou on whom my love is set,I have compared thee
To company of horses which
in Pharaoh's Charets be.
10.
Thy cheeks do beautiful appear,with rows of jewels set;
With chains of finest gold also
full comly is thy neck.
11.
We wil prepare for thee (who dostso beautiful appear)
Borders of gold, and silver studs,
which shall be for thy wear.
12.
While that the King in royal statedoth at his Table sit;
the smell thereof full sweet.
13.
A bundle of refreshing myrrheis my Belov'd to me;
And even so between my brests
lie all the night shall he.
14.
My wel-beloved is to meeven such as now I show,
As Camphire clusters, which within
Engedi's vinyards grow.
15.
Behold my love, for thou art fair,lo thou (my love) art fair:
Thy beauty in thine eyes appears,
yea like Doves eyes they are.
16.
Behold (beloved) thou art fair,so do I thee esteem;
Yea very pleasant for delight,
also our bed is green.
17.
Our house, yea ours, not mine alonewith Cedar beams is staid,
The rafters also which it hath,
even they of Fir are made.
CHAP. II.
1.
I am the fair and pleasant Rose,in Sharon fields I grow:
Yea I likewise the Lilly am
of Valleys, that are low.
2.
As is the Lilly, when amongthe thorns it doth appear;
Among the daughters so is she
that is my love, my dear.
3.
As Apple-tree among the treesthat in the wood have place,
So is my love among the sons,
excelling them in grace.
Under his shade with great delight
I sate, and was refresht:
His fruit likewise I found to be
most sweet unto my taste.
4.
Unto the house of Banquettinghe did me also lead;
And there the banner of his love
he over me did spread.
5.
O stay me now with Flagons, andwith Apples comfort me;
For I am sick, yea sick of love
I finde my self to be.
6.
His left hand (my beloved one)under my head hath plac't;
And by his right hand I am now
most lovingly embrac't.
7.
O Daughters of Jerusalem,I give you this in charge:
Even by the Roes, and by the Hindes,
of fields that are so large:
That ye take heed ye stir not up
my love, who takes his ease;
And that you do not him awake
until himself shall please.
8.
The voice of my beloved, loupon the mountains he
Comes leaping, and upon the hills
comes skipping towards me.
9.
Like Roe, or Hart, behold my lovebehind our wall doth stand:
through lattess neer at hand.
10.
And my beloved thus did speak,to me thus did he say;
Thou that my love, and fair one art,
arise, and come away.
11.
For why? behold the winter timeis gone and over-past;
The rain likewise which did descend,
is ceas'd, and doth not last.
12.
The flowers appear upon the earththe birds do sing with chear;
Their time is come: within our land
the Turtle's voice we hear.
13.
The Fig-tree yeilds green figs, the Vineswhich tender grapes do bear,
Do give good smell; arise my love,
and come away, my fair.
14.
O thou (my dove) that in the rockand clefts thereof dost bide
Thou that in secret places of
the stayrs, thy self dost hide.
Thy countenance let me behold;
thy voice eke let me hear:
For sweet and pleasant is thy voice,
thy countenance is clear.
15.
Take us the Foxes, yea, I say,the little Foxes take;
For that our vines have tender grapes
whereof a spoyl they make.
16.
My wel-beloved he is mine,and I likewise am his:
The place where he doth please to feed,
among the Lillies is.
17.
Until the day do break, and tillshaddows away do fly;
Turn love, and be like Roe or Hart,
on Bether mountains high.
CHAP. III.
1.
By night on bed I sought my love,whom I do chiefly mind;
Him did I seek, and yet, alas!
I sought, but did not finde.
2.
Now will I rise, and round aboutthe City will I go:
In streets, and in the broadest waies,
there I my self will show.
Him will I seek, whom with my soul
I love; he is my dear:
I sought, and when I had so done,
yet did he not appear.
3.
The City Watchmen did me find,of them I did enquire,
If they had seen, or could inform
of my beloved dear.
4.
It was a very little thatfrom watchmen I was past;
But him I found my soul so loves,
and then I held him fast,
And would not let him go, until
I brought him for to see
My Mothers house, and chambers where
she had conceived me.
5.
O daughters of Jerusalem,I give you this in charge;
of fields, that are so large;
That ye take heed ye stir not up
my love, who takes his ease:
And that you do not him awake
until himself shall please.
6.
But who is this that cometh outfrom wilderness afar,
Appearing like to pillars, that
of smoak composed are;
Sweetly perfum'd with costly myrrhe
with frankincense likewise,
And all the Powders Merchant men
do make their merchandise?
7.
Behold his bed which Sol'mons isthreescore that are both stout
And valiant men of Israel,
do stand it round about.
8.
They all hold swords, being skild in war,and ev'ry man of might
With sword upon his thigh, because
of terror in the night.
9.
A Princely Chariot was prepar'dby Solomon the King:
Made of the wood that in the mount
of Lebanon doth spring.
10.
The pillars which he made thereto,of silver pure they were;
The bottom also which it had
was made of gold most clear:
Of costly purple eke there was
a covering made above
For daughters of Jerusalem,
paved in midst with love.
11.
O ye that Sions daughters are,do ye go forth and see
King Solomon, who with his crown which
appears in dignity.
Crowned I say with Crown, the
he from his mother had
In day of spousals, and the day
wherein his heart was glad.
CHAP. IV.
1.
Behold my love, for thou art fair,lo thou art fair, my dear;
Thou hast also Doves eyes, which do
within thy locks appear.
Like to a flock of goats, which do
on Gilead mountain feed,
And thence appear, so is the hair
which is upon thy head.
2.
Thy teeth likewise within thy mouththey also do appear
Like flock of sheep that's even shorn,
being washed, and made clear.
All which are fruitful and no less
then twins they bear each one;
Among them all a barren sheep
cannot be found, not one.
3.
Thy lips like scarlet thred, thy speechfrom thee doth comly flow,
Thy temples in thy locks, like to
piece of Pomgranate show.
4.
Thy neck is like an Armory,such as was David's Tower;
all shields of men of power.
5.
Thy brests, even both, to two young RoesI have compar'd indeed;
Which are both twins, and likewise do
among the lillies feed.
6.
Until the breaking of the day,and shaddows get them hence;
I'le get me to the mounts of Myrrhe,
and hill of Frankincense.
7.
I said before of thee my love,and so I say again;
Thou art all fair, and not a spot
there doth in thee remain
8.
Come thou with me from Lebanonfrom Lebanon with me
My spouse: from top of Amana
look with thine eyes and see.
Yea from the top of Shenir look,
and Hermon hill likewise;
From Lions dens, and eke the mount
of Leopards, cast thine eyes.
9.
My Sister, thou hast ravishedmy heart; my spouse most dear:
Yea, with one ey; one chain that doth
about thy neck appear.
10.
How fair, my sister, is thy love?my spouse, how fair to me?
Yea, how much better is thy love,
then any wine can be?
And how much better is the smell
(my spouse) which doth arise
Out of thine ointments, then the smel
of any kinde of spice?
11.
O thou my spouse, thy lips drop downas honey comb apace:
Honey and milk under thy tongue
are found to have their place.
The smelling of the garments eke
the which thou puttest on,
May well for sweetness be compar'd
to smell of Lebanon.
12.
A garden that enclosed is,so is my sister dear;
My spouse a spring shut up and seal'd
even as a fountain clear.
13.
An Orchard of Pomgranates arethe plants in thee that grow;
Camphire, with spikenard, which are sweet
are fruits that from thee flow.
14.
Spikenard, and Saffron, Calamus,and Cinamon likewise;
All trees of Frankincense and myrrh,
Aloes, and all chief spice.
15.
A fountain eke of gardens, anda well of waters clear;
Yea living streams also that do
from Lebanon appear.
16.
Awake O north wind, come thou southupon my garden blow;
That by this means the spices which
it beareth, out may flow.
And now let my beloved come
into his garden fair,
And eat his fruits, yea such as to
his taste most pleasant are.
CHAP. V.
1.
Into my garden am I comemy sister, spouse most dear;
And gathered the myrrhe, and spice
which it to me doth bear.
Eaten I have my honey combe,
and honey with delight:
Yea drunk my wine, and eke my milk
sith thou didst me invite.
And now (O friends) that I have eat
and likewise drunk, eat ye,
And drink, yea drink abundantly,
ye are belov'd of me.
2.
I sleep, but yet my heart doth wake,the voice which now I hear
Is my Beloved's, yea he knocks
who is to me most dear.
Open to me (saith he) thou art
my sister, and my love;
Thou art my undefiled one,
thou art likewise my dove.
And why? for fill'd I am with dew
that on my head doth light;
My locks also bedewed are
with droppings of the night.
3.
My coat is off, (said I) how shallI put it on again?
My feet also which washed are,
how shall I foul and stain?
4.
Yet my beloved did put inhis hand by hole of dore;
yea they were troubled sore.
5.
I rose to open to my love,with myrrhe my hands did drop,
My fingers with sweet smelling myrrh
on handles of the lock.
6.
To my beloved then I didopen without delay;
But my beloved had withdrawn,
yea he was gone away.
My soul in me began to fail
when my beloved spake;
I sought, but could not find; I call'd,
he would no answer make.
7.
The City watchmen found me, andthey smote me; yea also
Did wound me: they that keep the walls
my vail they took me fro.
8.
O daughters of Jerusalem,this charge receive from me;
Tell my beloved, I am sick
of love, if ye him see.
9.
This thy beloved, what is he?to us do thou declare,
Thou fairest one; what is he more
then other loveds are?
Yea what is thy beloved more
(do thou declare to us)
Then other well-beloveds are,
that thus thou chargest us?
10.
My well-beloved, he is white,and ruddy is also;
Compare him with ten thousand more
the chiefest he will show.
11.
Yea like unto the finest goldso doth his head appear,
Bushy, and black as Ravens, be
the locks which he doth wear.
12.
His eyes are like the eyes of doveswhich are by waters fair;
Yea such as washed are with milk,
most fitly set they are.
13.
As bed of spices, as sweet flowers,so doth his cheeks appear,
His lips also like lillies are,
dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
14.
His hands are like to rings of goldwhich are with Beril made;
His belly as bright Ivory,
with Saphires underlaid.
15.
His leggs like unto pillars arewhich are of marble made,
Set upon sockets of fine gold,
and so well underlaid.
His countenance like Lebanon
excels, as Cedars tall.
16.
His mouth likewise it is most sweetyea he is lovely all.
Even such is my beloved one,
such is my friend most dear;
O daughters of Jerusalem,
of whom I now enquire.
CHAP. VI.
1.
This well-beloved that is thine,O whither is he gone?
to be the fairest one:
Yea whither is he turn'd aside,
that is thus lov'd of thee?
Tell us and as thou dost him seek,
so seek for him will we.
2.
Gone to his garden, and the bedsof spices, is my dear;
To feed in gardens, and withal
to gather lillies there.
3.
My well-beloved he is mine,and I likewise am his;
The place where he doth please to feed,
among the lillies is.
4.
As Tirza and Jerusalem,so thou my love art fair
And beautiful, yea terrible
as Troops that Banners bear.
5.
Turn thou thine eyes from me, for Iam overcome thereby;
Thy hair is as a flock of goats
that come from Gilead high.
6.
Thy teeth likewise within thy mouththey also do appear
Even like unto a flock of sheep,
being washed and made clear.
All which are fruitful, and no less
then twins they bear each one:
Among them all a barren sheep
cannot be found, not one.
7.
Yea even like unto a pieceof a Pomgranate, are
The temples of thy head, which do
within thy locks appear.
8.
There are for number threescore queenswith them there are no less
Then fourscore concubines, besides
the virgins numberless.
9.
My dove, my undefil'd is one,she is the only dear
Her mother hath, the choice she is
of her that did her bear.
The daughters when they had her seen
did bless her, yea also
The queens, and concubines, and they
her praise abroad did show.
10.
But who is she that morning likelooks forth? and doth appear
For fairness, like unto the moon,
and as the sun, is clear.
Yea likewise terrible she is,
and greatly to be dread,
As is an Army ord'red out,
and hath its Banners spread.
11.
Into the garden I went downof Nuts, that I might know,
And see what fruit was to be found
in vallies that are low.
Yea likewise I went down to see
whether the vine did spring
And flourish where they grew & eke
Pomgranates buds did bring.
12.
Then on a sudden, and beforethat I was well aware,
My soul made me like chariots of
Aminadib that are.
13.
Return, O Shulamite, return;return again, I say;
that look on thee we may.
What will ye see in Shulamite,
so called as ye hear?
As Armies two in company,
even so she doth appear.
CHAP. VII.
1.
O thou that Princes daughter arthow beautiful to see
Are even both thy feet, with shooes,
the which upon them be?
The joints likewise even of thy thighs which
are like to jewels rare;
The work of cunning workman
his hand doth well prepare.
2.
Thy Navel like round goblet is,wherein liquor is found;
Thy Belly like an heap of wheat
beset with lillies round.
3.
And as for thy two Brests likewiseI do them both compare
To Roes that are both young, and twins,
they very even are.
4.
Like to a Tower of Ivory,so is thy neck for state:
Like Heshbons fish-pools are thine eyes
neer to Bath-rabbim gate.
Thy Nose also is like unto
the Tower that hath place
Upon the mount of Lebanon,
and doth Damascus face.
5.
Thine head on thee like Carmel isthe hair upon thine head
Like purple is, in Galleries
the king is held and staid.
6.
How fair art thou? How pleasant ekedost thou to me appear?
Even for delights, O thou that art
my love, my only dear.
7.
This stature wch thou hast attain'd,doth like a Palm-tree show;
Thy Brests like clusters of fine grapes
which on the Vine do grow.
8.
Then did I say that now I willunto the Palm-tree go,
And will take hold upon the boughs
that thereupon do grow:
And now like clusters of the Vine,
even so thy Brests shall be,
And eke the smelling of thy Nose,
like Apples of the tree.
9.
The roof and Palate of thy mouththat also shall appear
Even like unto the choycest wine,
for my beloved dear.
Such wine (I say) as goeth down
most sweetly, and doth make
And cause the lips of them that are
asleep, to move and speak.
10.
I am my well-beloveds, andto me a right hath he;
And as for his desire, even that
is also towards me.
11.
Come my beloved, let us gointo the fields abroad:
and there make our aboad.
12.
Up to the Vinyards let us goearly, that we may see
If that the Vine do flourish, and
if tender grape there be.
Pomgranates also, whether they
their buds put forth and show;
And there will I give out my loves,
and them on thee bestow.
13.
The mandrakes smell, and at our gatesall pleasant fruits there be,
Both new and old, which (O my love)
I have laid up for thee.
CHAP. VIII.
1.
O that thou wert to me as hethat is my brother near;
As he that sucked hath the breasts
even of my Mother dear:
And when I should thee find without
thou should'st be entertain'd
With kisses, yet I should not be
despised, or disdain'd.
2.
Then would I lead thee lovingly,and likewise thee conduct
Unto my Mothers dwelling, who
would duely me instruct:
Yea, I would cause thee for to drink
within my Mothers house
Of wine that is well spiced, and
of my Pomegranate juyce.
3.
Under my head his left hand shouldbe laid, and there have place;
And with his right hand eke he should
me tenderly embrace.
4.
O Daughters of Jerusalem,my love now takes his ease;
I charge you that you stir not up,
nor wake him till he please.
5.
But who is this from wilderness,that doth depart away,
Leaning on her beloved one,
and doth upon him stay?
Under the Apple-tree I did
thee raise, and also there
Thy mother brought thee forth, yea brought
thee forth that did thee bear.
6.
Upon thine heart let me be put,and set like as a seal;
And as a seal upon thine arme,
thus do thou with me deal;
For love is strong as death, as grave,
cruel as jealousie.
The coals thereof are coals of fire,
which flame most vehemently.
7.
By many waters love cannotbe quenched, and likewise
It cannot drowned be by flouds,
though they against it rise.
Although a man would give for love
(that so it might be gain'd)
Even all the substance of his house,
yet would it be disdain'd.
8.
Our little sister hath no brests,what shall for her be done
and into mention come.
9.
A silver palace we will build,if so a wall she be;
And if a dore, with Cedar boards
enclosed shall she be.
10.
I am a wall, and eke my brestslike unto Towers arise;
And then as one that favour found,
so was I in his eyes.
11.
A Vinyard was in Baal-Haman,which Sol'mon did possess;
The Vinyard he to keepers let,
that they the same might dress:
A thousand pieces of silver,
each of those keepers were
To bring, which did the vinyard keep
for fruit which it did bear.
12.
My Vinyard which is mine, and wchI chalenge as my right;
Before my face it doth appear,
I keep it in my sight.
A thousand thou O Solomon
must have, as due to thee;
To them that keep the fruit thereof,
two hundred there shall be.
13.
O thou that in the gardens hastthy dwelling, they that be
Companions, hearken to thy voice;
to hear it cause thou me.
14.
Make haste O my beloved one,and be thou like a Roe,
Or a young Hart, which is upon
the mount where spices grow.
| Epithalamium, or Solomons Song | |