Song of Solomon 5

1 I am 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. Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Let my kinsman come down into his garden, and eat the fruit of his choice berries. I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; yes, brethren, drink abundantly.

2 I sleep, but my heart waketh; Hark! my beloved knocketh: 'Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.'

I sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, [saying], Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart was moved for him.

My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole [of the door], and my belly moved for him.

5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with flowing myrrh, upon the handles of the bar.

I rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had turned away, and was gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

I opened to my kinsman; my kinsman was gone: my soul failed at his speech: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he answered me not.

7 The watchmen that go about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.

The watchman that go their rounds in the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8 'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? that I am love-sick.'

I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and the virtues of the field: if you should find my kinsman, what are you to say to him? That I am wounded with love.

9 'What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so adjure us?'

What is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, O you beautiful among women? what is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, that you have so charged us?

10 'My beloved is white and ruddy, pre-eminent above ten thousand.

My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.

11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are curled, and black as a raven.

His head is [as] very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside the water-brooks; washed with milk, and fitly set.

His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.

13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as banks of sweet herbs; his lips are as lilies, dropping with flowing myrrh.

His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.

14 His hands are as rods of gold set with beryl; his body is as polished ivory overlaid with sapphires.

His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.

15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold; his aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.

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

His throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.