Song of Solomon 5

1 I am 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. Eat, O friends; Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

2 I was asleep, but my heart waked: It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.

3 I have put off my garment; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, And my heart was moved for him.

5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. My soul had failed me when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7 The watchmen that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.

8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved, That ye tell him, that I am sick from love.

9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, That thou dost so adjure us?

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

11 His head is as the most fine gold; His locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside the water-brooks, Washed with milk, and fitly set.

13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, As banks of sweet herbs: His lips are as lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

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

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

16 His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Solomon 5

1 I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk!
Eat, friends, and drink!s
Drink freely, O lovers!

The Trials of Love: The Beloved’s Dream of Losing Her Lover

2 I was asleep, but my mindt was dreaming.t
Listen!s My lovers is knockings at the door!t
“Opents for me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one!
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”

3 “I have already taken off my robe – must I put it on again?
I have already washed my feet – must I soil them again?”

4 My lover thrust his handt throught the hole,t
and my feelingst were stirredt for him.

5 I arose to open for my beloved;
my hands dripped with myrrh –
my fingers flowed with myrrh
on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened for my beloved,
but my lover had already turnedt and gone away.t
I fell into despairt when he departed.t
I looked for him but did not find him;
I called him but he did not answer me.

7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls!

The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her Lover

8 O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you –
If you find my beloved, what will you tell him?
Tell him that I am lovesick!t

9 Why is your beloved better than others,t
O most beautiful of women?
Why is your beloved better than others,
that you would command us in this manner?

10 My beloveds is dazzlings and ruddy;t
he stands outt in comparison tot all other men.t

11 His head is like the most pure gold.t
His hair is curlyt – black like a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water,
washed in milk, mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam treess yieldingt perfume.
His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.

14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite.
His abdoment is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires.

15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.

16 His mouth is very sweet;t
he is totally desirable.t
This is my beloved!
This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!