שיר השירים 5

1 באתי לגני אחתי כלה אריתי מורי עם בשמי אכלתי יערי עם דבשי שתיתי ייני עם חלבי אכלו רעים שתו ושכרו דודים׃

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.

2 אני ישנה ולבי ער קול דודי דופק פתחי לי אחתי רעיתי יונתי תמתי שראשי נמלא טל קוצותי רסיסי לילה׃

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.”

3 פשטתי את כתנתי איככה אלבשנה רחצתי את רגלי איככה אטנפם׃

[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.

4 דודי שלח ידו מן החר ומעי המו עליו׃

The one who loves me put his hand through the opening [in the wall], and I was thrilled [that he was there].

5 קמתי אני לפתח לדודי וידי נטפו מור ואצבעתי מור עבר על כפות המנעול׃

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.

6 פתחתי אני לדודי ודודי חמק עבר נפשי יצאה בדברו בקשתיהו ולא מצאתיהו קראתיו ולא ענני׃

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.

7 מצאני השמרים הסבבים בעיר הכוני פצעוני נשאו את רדידי מעלי שמרי החמות׃

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.

8 השבעתי אתכם בנות ירושלם אם תמצאו את דודי מה תגידו לו שחולת אהבה אני׃

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.

9 מה דודך מדוד היפה בנשים מה דודך מדוד שככה השבעתנו׃

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?

10 דודי צח ואדום דגול מרבבה׃

The man who loves me is handsome and healthy, (outstanding among/better than) (10,000/an uncountable number of) [other men].

11 ראשו כתם פז קוצותיו תלתלים שחרות כעורב׃

His head is [beautiful, like] [MET] purest gold; his hair is wavy and as black as [SIM] a raven/crow.

12 עיניו כיונים על אפיקי מים רחצות בחלב ישבות על מלאת׃

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.

13 לחיו כערוגת הבשם מגדלות מרקחים שפתותיו שושנים נטפות מור עבר׃

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.

14 ידיו גלילי זהב ממלאים בתרשיש מעיו עשת שן מעלפת ספירים׃

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).

15 שוקיו עמודי שש מיסדים על אדני פז מראהו כלבנון בחור כארזים׃

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].

16 חכו ממתקים וכלו מחמדים זה דודי וזה רעי בנות ירושלם׃

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].