Song of Solomon 5

1 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.

I have 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. The friends speaking to the man and the woman Eat, friends; drink and be drunk with love.

2 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.”

I was asleep, but my heart was awake. There is the sound of my beloved knocking and saying, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the night's dampness.”

3 [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.

“I have taken off my robe; must I put it on again? I have washed my feet; must I get them dirty?”

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

My beloved put in his hand through the opening of the door latch, and my heart was stirred up for him.

5 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.

I got up to open the door for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, my fingers with moist myrrh, on the door handle.

6 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.

I opened the door for my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My heart sank when he spoke. I looked for him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

7 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.

The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds in the city. They struck me and wounded me; the guards on the walls took away my cloak from me.

8 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.

I want you to swear, daughters of Jerusalem, that if you find my beloved— What will you make known to him?— that I am sick from love.

9 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?

How is your beloved better than another beloved man, most beautiful among women? Why is your beloved better than another beloved, that you ask us to take an oath like this?

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

My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

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

His head is the purest gold; his hair is curly and as black as a raven.

12 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.

His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.

13 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.

His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding aromatic scents. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

14 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).

His arms are rounded gold set with jewels; his abdomen is ivory covered with sapphires.

15 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].

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

16 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].

His mouth is most sweet; he is completely lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.