Song of Songs 5

1 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.

I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; to take my myrrh with my spice; my wax with my honey; my wine with my milk. Take meat, O friends; take wine, yes, be overcome with love.

2 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.

I am sleeping, but my heart is awake; it is the sound of my loved one at the door, saying, Be open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my very beautiful one; my head is wet with dew, and my hair 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 may I put it on? My feet are washed; how may I make them unclean?

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

My loved one put his hand on the door, and my heart was moved for him.

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

I got up to let my loved one in; and my hands were dropping with myrrh, and my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the lock of the door.

6 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.

I made the door open to my loved one; but my loved one had taken himself away, and was gone, my soul was feeble when his back was turned on me; I went after him, but I did not come near him; I said his name, but he gave me no answer.

7 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.

The keepers who go about the town overtook me; they gave me blows and wounds; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8 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.

I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you see my loved one, what will you say to him? That I am overcome with love.

9 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?

What is your loved one more than another, O fairest among women? What is your loved one more than another, that you say this to us?

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

My loved one is white and red, the chief among ten thousand.

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

His head is as the most delicate gold; his hair is thick, and black as a raven.

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

His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the water streams, washed with milk, and rightly placed.

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

His face is as beds of spices, giving out perfumes of every sort; his lips like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

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

His hands are as rings of gold ornamented with beryl-stones; his body is as a smooth plate of ivory covered with sapphires.

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

His legs are as pillars of stone on a base of delicate gold; his looks are as Lebanon, beautiful as the cedar-tree.

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

His mouth is most sweet; yes, he is all beautiful. This is my loved one, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.