Song of Solomon 5
1 I enter my garden, my sister, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spice. I eat my honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Let us eat our fill of love! Let us be drunk with love!
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 Though I was asleep, my mind was racing. I heard my love knocking, and calling out, “Please open the door, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect love. My head is soaked with dew, my hair is wet from the night mist.”
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 replied, “I've already got undressed. I don't have to get dressed again, do I? I've already washed my feet. I don't have to make them dirty again, do I?”
I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
4 My love thrust his hand into the opening. Deep inside I longed for him.
My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.
5 I got up to let my love in. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, as I grabbed 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 up to my love, but he had left—he was gone! I was crushed as a result. I looked for him but I couldn't find him. I called him but he didn't 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 did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.
7 The watchmen found me as they went through the city. They beat me, they hurt me, and stole my cloak, those watchmen 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 Women of Jerusalem, promise me if you find my love and wonder what you should tell him, tell him I am weak with love.
I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.
9 Why is the one you love better than any other, most beautiful of women? In what way is the one you love better than any other that we should promise you that?
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 love has dazzling good looks and is very fit—better than ten thousand others!
My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.
11 His head is like the finest gold, his hair is wavy and black as the raven.
His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, washed with milk and mounted like sparkling jewels.
His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like a flowerbed of spices that produces fragrance. His lips are like lilies, dripping with liquid 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 round bars of gold inlaid with jewels. His abdomen is like carved ivory inlaid with lapis lazuli.
His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are columns of alabaster set on bases of gold. He looks strong, like the mighty cedars of Lebanon.
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 the sweetest ever; he is totally desirable! This is my love, my friend, women of Jerusalem.
His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
