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.

[[Lov.]] I am come to my garden, my sister, my spouse! I gather my myrrh with my balsam, I eat my honeycomb with my honey, I drink my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends! Drink, yea, drink abundantly, my loved companions!

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.

[[M.]] I slept, but my heart was awake; It was the voice of my beloved, who was knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my love, 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 taken off my vest [[said I]]; How shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; How shall I soil them?”

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

My beloved put in his hand by the hole of 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 rose up to open to my beloved, And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with self-flowing myrrh, upon 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I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. I was not in my senses while he spake with me! I sought him, but could not find him; I called him, 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 watchmen that go about the city found me; They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away from me my veil.

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 charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem! If ye should find my beloved, —What will ye tell him? That I am sick 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?

[[Lad.]] What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women! What is thy beloved more than another beloved, That thus thou dost charge us?

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

[[M.]] My beloved is white and ruddy, 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 fine gold; His locks waving palm-branches, 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 doves by streams of water, Washed with milk, dwelling in fulness;

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

His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Like beds of spices; His lips are lilies Dropping self-flowing myrrh;

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

His hands are gold rings set with chrysolite; His body is wrought-work of ivory, overlaid with sapphires;

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

His legs are marble pillars, resting on pedestals of fine gold; His aspect is like Lebanon, Majestic like the cedars;

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 sweetness; His whole being, loveliness. This is my beloved, This my friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem!