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.
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.
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 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.
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 shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
4 My beloved put in his hand through the opening of the door latch, and my heart was stirred up for him.
My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole [of the door], and my belly 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 rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, O you beautiful amongst women? what is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, that you have so charged us?
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.
11 His head is the purest gold; his hair is curly and as black as a raven.
His head is [as] very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.
His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding aromatic scents. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.
His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.
14 His arms are rounded gold set with jewels; his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires.
His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.
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 marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
His throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.
