Song of Solomon 6

1 Where is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? where is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.

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

2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed 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 feedeth among the lilies.

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

4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

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

5 Turn away thy eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.

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.

6 Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, of which every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.

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 amongst them.

7 As a piece of pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.

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

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

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

9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

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

10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

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.

12 Before I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.

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

13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

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?