Song of Solomon 6

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

Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Which way has he turned? We will seek him with you.

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

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

I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

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

You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops 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 your eyes away from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down from 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 among them.

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing; each has its twin, and not one of them is lost.

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

Your brow behind your veil is like a slice of pomegranate.

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

There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number,

9 My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favorite 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.

but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

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 this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?

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 to the walnut grove to see the blossoms of the valley, to see if the vines were budding or the pomegranates were in bloom.

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

Before I realized it, my desire had set me among the royal chariots of my 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?

Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you. Why do you look at the Shulammite, as on the dance of Mahanaim?