Song of Solomon 5

1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.

Bride: May my beloved enter into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. Groom to Bride: I have arrived in my garden, O my sister, my spouse. I have harvested my myrrh, with my aromatic oils. I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey. I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, O most beloved.

2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”

Bride: I sleep, yet my heart watches. The voice of my beloved knocking: Groom to Bride: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my immaculate one. For my head is full of dew, and the locks of my hair are full of the drops of the night.

3 I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?

Bride: I have taken off my tunic; how shall I be clothed in it? I have washed my feet; how shall I spoil them?

4 My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.

My beloved put his hand through the window, and my inner self was moved by his touch.

5 I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

I rose up in order to open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers were full of the finest myrrh.

6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved left, and had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved. But he had turned aside and had gone away. My soul melted when he spoke. I sought him, and did not find him. I called, and he did not answer me.

7 The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.

The keepers who circulate through the city found me. They struck me, and wounded me. The keepers of the walls took my veil away from me.

8 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.

I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, announce to him that I languish through love.

9 How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?

Chorus to Bride: What kind of beloved is your beloved, O most beautiful among women? What kind of beloved is your beloved, so that you would bind us by oath?

10 My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.

Bride: My beloved is white and ruddy, elect among thousands.

11 His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

His head is like the finest gold. His locks are like the heights of palm trees, and as black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

His eyes are like doves, which have been washed with milk over rivulets of waters, and which reside near plentiful streams.

13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

His cheeks are like a courtyard of aromatic plants, sown by perfumers. His lips are like lilies, dripping with the best myrrh.

14 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

His hands are smoothed gold, full of hyacinths. His abdomen is ivory, accented with sapphires.

15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His legs are columns of marble, which have been established over bases of gold. His appearance is like that of Lebanon, elect like the cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

His throat is most sweet, and he is entirely desirable. Such is my beloved, and he is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.