Song of Solomon 5

1 I have come to 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. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.

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.

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

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.”

3 I have taken off my robe— must I put it back on? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?

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

4 My beloved put his hand to the latch; my heart pounded for him.

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

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

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

6 I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him, but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

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 didn’t find him. I called him, but he didn’t answer.

7 I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city. They beat me and bruised me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls.

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.

8 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.

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

9 How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

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?

10 My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

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

11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.

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

12 His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk and mounted like jewels.

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

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

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

14 His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is an ivory panel bedecked with sapphires.

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

15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

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

16 His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

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