Song of Solomon 6

1 Where is your loved one gone, O most fair among women? Where is your loved one turned away, that we may go looking for him with you?

Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

2 My loved one is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to take food in the gardens, and to get lilies.

My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

3 I am for my loved one, and my loved one is for me; he takes food among the lilies.

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. He browses among the lilies,

4 You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, as fair as Jerusalem; you are to be feared like an army with flags.

You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

5 Let your eyes be turned away from me; see, they have overcome me; your hair is as a flock of goats which take their rest on the side of Gilead.

Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep which come up from the washing; every one has two lambs, and there is not one without young.

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing; of which every one has twins; none is bereaved among them.

7 Like pomegranate fruit are the sides of your head under your veil.

Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

8 There are sixty queens, and eighty servant-wives, and young girls without number.

There are sixty queens, eighty secondary wives, and virgins without number.

9 My dove, my very beautiful one, is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the dearest one of her who gave her birth. The daughters saw her, and gave her a blessing; yes, the queens and the servant-wives, and they gave her praises.

My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the secondary wives, and they praised her.

10 Who is she, looking down as the morning light, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, who is to be feared like an army with flags?

Who is she who looks forth as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the green plants of the valley, and to see if the vine was in bud, and the pomegranate-trees were in flower.

I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

12 Before I was conscious of it, ...

Without realizing it, my desire set me with my royal people's chariots.

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, so that our eyes may see you. What will you see in the Shulammite? A sword-dance.

Return, return, Shulammite. Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?