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 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!
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.
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.”
3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
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?”
4 My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole [of the door], and my belly moved for him.
My love thrust his hand into the opening. Deep inside I longed 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 love in. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, as I grabbed the handles of the bolt.
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 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.
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 watchmen found me as they went through the city. They beat me, they hurt me, and stole my cloak, those watchmen of the walls.
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.
Women of Jerusalem, promise me if you find my love and wonder what you should tell him, tell him I am weak 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?
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?
10 My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.
My love has dazzling good looks and is very fit—better than ten thousand others!
11 His head is [as] very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.
His head is like the finest gold, his hair is wavy and black as the raven.
12 His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.
His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, washed with milk and mounted like sparkling jewels.
13 His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.
His cheeks are like a flowerbed of spices that produces fragrance. His lips are like lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.
His arms are round bars of gold inlaid with jewels. His abdomen is like carved ivory inlaid with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.
His legs are columns of alabaster set on bases of gold. He looks strong, like the mighty cedars of Lebanon.
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 the sweetest ever; he is totally desirable! This is my love, my friend, women of Jerusalem.
