Song of Solomon 6

1 Where has your beloved gone, you fairest amongst women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither hath thy beloved turned him, that we may seek him with thee?

2 My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

My beloved is gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

3 I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He browses amongst the lilies.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth [his flock] among the lilies.

4 You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

5 Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing, of which every one has twins; not one is bereaved amongst them.

Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, which are come up from the washing; whereof every one hath twins, and none is bereaved among them.

7 Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind thy veil.

8 There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

9 My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favourite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed. The queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.

My dove, my undefiled, is [but] one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; [yea], the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

10 Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?

11 I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, [and] the pomegranates were in flower.

12 Without realising it, my desire set me with my royal people’s chariots.

Or ever I was aware, my soul set me [among] the chariots of my princely people.

13 Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?

Return, return, O Shulammite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. Why will ye look upon the Shulammite, as upon the dance of Mahanaim?