Song of Solomon 5

1 I enter my garden, my sister, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spice. I eat my honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Let us eat our fill of love! Let us be drunk with love!

Let my kinsman come down into his garden, and eat the fruit of his choice berries. I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; yes, brethren, drink abundantly.

2 Though I was asleep, my mind was racing. I heard my love knocking, and calling out, “Please open the door, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect love. My head is soaked with dew, my hair is wet from the night mist.”

I sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, [saying], Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

3 I replied, “I've already got undressed. I don't have to get dressed again, do I? I've already washed my feet. I don't have to make them dirty again, do I?”

I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

4 My love thrust his hand into the opening. Deep inside I longed for him.

My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole [of the door], and my belly moved for him.

5 I got up to let my love in. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, as I grabbed the handles of the bolt.

I rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened up to my love, but he had left—he was gone! I was crushed as a result. I looked for him but I couldn't find him. I called him but he didn't answer.

I opened to my kinsman; my kinsman was gone: my soul failed at his speech: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he answered me not.

7 The watchmen found me as they went through the city. They beat me, they hurt me, and stole my cloak, those watchmen of the walls.

The watchman that go their rounds in the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8 Women of Jerusalem, promise me if you find my love and wonder what you should tell him, tell him I am weak with love.

I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and the virtues of the field: if you should find my kinsman, what are you to say to him? That I am wounded with love.

9 Why is the one you love better than any other, most beautiful of women? In what way is the one you love better than any other that we should promise you that?

What is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, O you beautiful among women? what is your kinsman [more] than [another] kinsman, that you have so charged us?

10 My love has dazzling good looks and is very fit—better than ten thousand others!

My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.

11 His head is like the finest gold, his hair is wavy and black as the raven.

His head is [as] very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, washed with milk and mounted like sparkling jewels.

His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.

13 His cheeks are like a flowerbed of spices that produces fragrance. His lips are like lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.

His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.

14 His arms are round bars of gold inlaid with jewels. His abdomen is like carved ivory inlaid with lapis lazuli.

His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.

15 His legs are columns of alabaster set on bases of gold. He looks strong, like the mighty cedars of Lebanon.

His legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.

16 His mouth is the sweetest ever; he is totally desirable! This is my love, my friend, women of Jerusalem.

His throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.