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-spouse, I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, drink, Indeed, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!
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 am sleeping, but my heart wakes: The sound of my beloved knocking! “Open to me, my sister, my friend, My dove, my perfect one, For my head is filled [with] dew, My locks [with] drops 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 put off my coat, how do I put it on? I have washed my feet, how do I defile them?
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 sent his hand from the network, And my bowels were moved 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 to open to my beloved, And my hands dripped myrrh, Indeed, my fingers were flowing [with] myrrh, On the handles of the lock.
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 to my beloved, But my beloved withdrew—he passed on, My soul went forth when he spoke, I sought him, and did not find him. I called him, and he did not answer me.
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.
The watchmen who go around the city, Found me, struck me, wounded me, Keepers of the walls lifted up my veil from off me.
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.
I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved—What do you tell him? That 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?
What [is] your beloved above [any] beloved, O beautiful among women? What [is] your beloved above [any] beloved, That thus you have adjured us?
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] clear and ruddy, Conspicuous above a myriad!
11 His head is [beautiful, like] [MET] purest gold; his hair is wavy and as black as [SIM] a raven/crow.
His head [is] pure gold—fine gold, His locks flowing, dark 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 as doves by streams of water, Washing in milk, sitting in fullness.
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] as a bed of the spice, towers of perfumes, His lips—lilies, dripping [and] flowing [with] 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 hands rings of gold, set with beryl, His heart bright ivory, covered 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 limbs pillars of marble, Founded on sockets of fine gold, His appearance as Lebanon, choice 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 sweetness—and all of him desirable, This [is] my beloved, and this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!
