Song of Solomon 6

1 Where has your lover gone,
most beautiful of women?
Which way did your lover turn,
that we may look for him with you?
Beloved

2 My lover has gone down to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to browse in the gardens
and to gather lilies.

3 I am my lover's and my lover is mine;
he browses among the lilies.
Lover

4 You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,
lovely as Jerusalem,
majestic as troops with banners.

5 Turn your eyes from me;
they overwhelm me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin,
not one of them is alone.

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

8 Sixty queens there may be,
and eighty concubines,
and virgins beyond number;

9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,
the only daughter of her mother,
the favorite of the one who bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her blessed;
the queens and concubines praised her.
Friends

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn,
fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?
Lover

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees
to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded
or the pomegranates were in bloom.

12 Before I realized it,
my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.
Friends

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!
Lover
Why would you gaze on the Shulammite
as on the dance of Mahanaim?

SONG OF SONGS 6

Their Friends Speak:

1 Most beautiful of women,
tell us where he has gone.
Let us help you find him.

She Speaks:

2 My darling has gone down
to his garden of spices,
where he will feed his sheep
and gather lilies.

3 I am his, and he is mine,
as he feeds his sheep
among the lilies.

He Speaks:

4 My dearest, the cities of Tirzah
and Jerusalem
are not as lovely as you.
Your charms are more powerful
than all of the stars
in the heavens.t

5 Turn away your eyes—
they make me melt.
Your hair tosses about
as gracefully as goats
coming down from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are whiter
than sheep freshly washed;
they match perfectly,
not one is missing.

7 Behind your veil are hidden
beautiful rosy cheeks.t

8 What if I could have
sixty queens, eighty wives,
and thousands of others!

9 You would be my only choice,
my flawless dove,
the favorite child
of your mother.
The young women, the queens,
and all the others
tell how excited you are
as they sing your praises:

10 “You are as majestic
as the morning sky—
glorious as the moon—
blinding as the sun!
Your charms are more powerful
than all the stars above.”t

She Speaks:

11 I went down to see if blossoms
were on the walnut trees,
grapevines, and fruit trees.

12 But in my imagination
I was suddenly riding
on a glorious chariot.t

Their Friends Speak:

13 Dance! Dance!
Beautiful woman from Shulam,
let us see you dance!

She Speaks: