Song of Solomon 5

1 My bride, [you who are dearer to me than] my sister, I have come [to cuddle up to you] [MET, EUP]; [it will be as though] I will be gathering myrrh with my other spices, and eating my honey and my honeycomb, and drinking my wine and my milk. You two who love each other, enjoy your lovemaking; enjoy all that you want to.

I have come to 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, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.

2 I was partially asleep, but my mind was [still] awake. Then I heard the one who loves me knocking [at the door]. [He said], “My darling, [you who are dearer to me than] my sister, my dear friend, my perfect one, my dove [MET], open the door for me! My hair is wet from the dew, from the mist [that has fallen during] the night.”

I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

3 [But] I had already taken off my robe; I did not [RHQ] want to put it on again [to open the door]. I had [already] washed my feet; I did not [RHQ] want them to become dirty again.

I have taken off my robe— must I put it back on? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?

4 The one who loves me put his hand through the opening [in the wall], and I was thrilled [that he was there].

My beloved put his hand to the latch; my heart pounded for him.

5 I got up to open [the door] for the one who loves me, [but first I put a lot of] myrrh on my hands. The myrrh was dripping from my fingers while I unlatched the bolt.

I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened [the door] for the man who loves me, but he had left. He had turned away and was gone! I was very disappointed [IDM]; I searched for him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him, but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

7 The city watchmen saw me while they were walking around the city. They beat me and wounded me [because they thought I must be a prostitute]; those men who were guarding the city walls took my robe.

I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city. They beat me and bruised me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls.

8 You young women of Jerusalem, I plead with you, if you see the man who loves me, tell him [DOU] that I am very disappointed that we did not make love.

O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.

9 You who are the (fairest/most beautiful) among women, why [do you think that] the one who loves you is better than other men? In what way is the man who loves you better than other men with the result that you ask us to tell him that?

How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

10 The man who loves me is handsome and healthy, (outstanding among/better than) (10,000/an uncountable number of) [other men].

My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

11 His head is [beautiful, like] [MET] purest gold; his hair is wavy and as black as [SIM] a raven/crow.

His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.

12 His eyes [are as gentle] as [SIM] doves along the streams; [the white parts of] his eyes are as white as [MET] milk, [with what resembles] jewels inlaid in them.

His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk and mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like [SIM] a garden full of spice trees that produce [sweet-smelling] perfume. His lips are [like] [SIM] lilies that have myrrh/perfume dripping from them.

His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

14 His arms are like [MET] gold bars/rods that are decorated with precious stones/jewels. His body is like [SIM] [a column/pillar of] ivory that is decorated with (sapphires/valuable [blue] stones).

His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is an ivory panel bedecked with sapphires.

15 His legs are [like] [MET] pillars of marble that are set in bases made of pure gold. He is [majestic, like the mountains of] [SIM] Lebanon, as delightful/beautiful as [SIM] cedar [trees].

His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

16 His kisses [MTY] are extremely sweet; he is very handsome. You young women of Jerusalem, all that tells you why the one who loves me and who is my friend [is better than other men].

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