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. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.

[HE] I have entered my garden, my sister, bride, I have plucked my myrrh, with my balsam, I have eaten the honey of my thicket, I have drunk my wine, with my milk: —Eat ye, O friends, Drink, yea drink abundantly, ye beloved!

2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”

[SHE] I, was sleeping, but, my heart, was awake, —The voice of my beloved—knocking! Open to me, my sister, my fair one, my dove, my perfect one, for, my head, is filled with dew, my locks, with the moisture of the night.

3 I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?

I have put off my tunic, oh how shall I put it on? I have bathed my feet, oh how shall I soil them?

4 My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.

My beloved, thrust in his hand, at the window, and, my feelings, were deeply moved for him:

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

I myself, arose, to open to my beloved, —and, my hands, dripped with myrrh, and, my fingers, with myrrh distilling, upon the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved left, and had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I didn’t find him. I called him, but he didn’t answer.

I myself, opened to my beloved, but, my beloved, had turned away, had passed on, —My soul, had gone out when he spake, I sought him, but found him not, I called him, but he answered not.

7 The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.

The watchmen who were going round in the city, found me, they smote me, wounded me, —The watchmen of the walls, took away my cloak from off me.

8 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.

I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, —If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That, sick with love, I am.

9 How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?

[DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM] What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, thou most beautiful among women? What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, that, thus, thou hast adjured us?

10 My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.

[SHE.] My beloved, is white and ruddy, conspicuous beyond ten thousand:

11 His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

His head, is pure gold, —his locks, are bushy, black as a raven;

12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

His eyes, like doves, by the channels of water, —bathing in milk, set as gems in a ring:

13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

His cheeks, like a raised bed of balsam, growing plants of perfume, —His lips, lilies, dripping with myrrh distilling:

14 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

His hands, cylinders of gold, set with topaz, —His body, wrought work of ivory, covered with sapphires:

15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His legs, pillars of white marble, founded on sockets of gold, —His form, like Lebanon, choice as cedars:

16 His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

His mouth, most sweet, yea, altogether, he is delightful, —This, is my beloved, yea, this, is my dear one, ye daughters of Jerusalem.