Song of Solomon 5

1 I have come into 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. The friends speaking to the man and the woman Eat, friends; drink and be drunk with love.

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 was asleep, but my heart was awake. There is the sound of my beloved knocking and saying, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the night's dampness.”

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 taken off my robe; must I put it on again? I have washed my feet; must I get them dirty?”

I have put off my coat; how may I put it on? My feet are washed; how may I make them unclean?

4 My beloved put in his hand through the opening of the door latch, and my heart was stirred up for him.

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

5 I got up to open the door for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, my fingers with moist myrrh, on the door handle.

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 the door for my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My heart sank when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

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 watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. They struck me and wounded me; the guards on the walls took away my cloak 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 want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, that if you find my beloved— What will you make known to him?— that I am sick from 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 How is your beloved better than another beloved man, most beautiful among women? Why is your beloved better than another beloved, that you ask us to take an oath like this?

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 beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

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

11 His head is the purest gold; his hair is curly and as 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 like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.

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

13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding aromatic scents. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

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

14 His arms are rounded gold set with jewels; his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires.

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 pillars of marble, set on bases of pure gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, 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 mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, 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.