The spouse aspires to an union with Christ, their mutual love for one another.

 1 Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine,
SPONSA. Osculetur me osculo oris sui; quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino,

 2 Smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee.
fragrantia unguentis optimis. Oleum effusum nomen tuum; ideo adolescentulae dilexerunt te.

 3 Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee.
CHORUS ADOLESCENTULARUM. Trahe me, post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua; exsultabimus et laetabimur in te, memores uberum tuorum super vinum. Recti diligunt te.

 4 I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
SPONSA. Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiae Jerusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis.

 5 Do not consider me that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour: the sons of my mother have fought against me, they have made me the keeper in the vineyards: my vineyard I have not kept.
Nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol. Filii matris meae pugnaverunt contra me; posuerunt me custodem in vineis : vineam meam non custodivi.

 6 Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions.
Indica mihi, quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes in meridie, ne vagari incipiam post greges sodalium tuorum.

 7 If thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
SPONSUS. Si ignoras te, o pulcherrima inter mulieres, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum, et pasce haedos tuos juxta tabernacula pastorum.

 8 To my company of horsemen, in Pharao's chariots, have I likened thee, O my love.
Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te, amica mea.

 9 Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtledove's, thy neck as jewels.
Pulchrae sunt genae tuae sicut turturis; collum tuum sicut monilia.

 10 We will make thee chains of gold, inlaid with silver.
Murenulas aureas faciemus tibi, vermiculatas argento.

 11 While the king was at his repose, my spikenard sent forth the odour thereof.
SPONSA. Dum esset rex in accubitu suo, nardus mea dedit odorem suum.

 12 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall abide between my breasts.
Fasciculus myrrhae dilectus meus mihi; inter ubera mea commorabitur.

 13 A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.
Botrus cypri dilectus meus mihi in vineis Engaddi.

 14 Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves.
SPONSUS. Ecce tu pulchra es, amica mea! ecce tu pulchra es! Oculi tui columbarum.

 15 Behold thou art fair, my beloved, and comely. Our bed is flourishing.
SPONSA. Ecce tu pulcher es, dilecte mi, et decorus! Lectulus noster floridus.

 16 The beams of our houses are of cedar, our rafters of cypress trees.
Tigna domorum nostrarum cedrina, laquearia nostra cypressina.