Song of Solomon 5

1 I have come in to my garden, my sister-spouse, I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, drink, Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!

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 am sleeping, but my heart waketh: The sound of my beloved knocking! 'Open to me, my sister, my friend, My dove, my perfect one, For my head is filled [with] dew, My locks [with] drops of 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 I have put off my coat, how do I put it on? I have washed my feet, how do I defile them?

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

4 My beloved sent his hand from the net-work, And my bowels were moved for him.

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

5 I rose to open to my beloved, And my hands dropped myrrh, Yea, my fingers flowing myrrh, On the handles of the lock.

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 to my beloved, But my beloved withdrew — he passed on, My soul went forth when he spake, I sought him, and found him not. I called him, and he answered me not.

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 watchmen who go round about the city, Found me, smote me, wounded me, Keepers of the walls lifted up my veil from off me.

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 I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved — What do ye tell him? that I [am] sick with 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 What [is] thy beloved above [any] beloved, O fair among women? What [is] thy beloved above [any] beloved, That thus thou hast adjured us?

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 My beloved [is] clear and ruddy, Conspicuous above a myriad!

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

11 His head [is] pure gold — fine gold, His locks flowing, dark as a raven,

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

12 His eyes as doves by streams of water, Washing in milk, sitting in fulness.

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

13 His cheeks as a bed of the spice, towers of perfumes, His lips [are] lilies, dropping flowing myrrh,

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

14 His hands rings of gold, set with beryl, His heart bright ivory, covered with sapphires,

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

15 His limbs pillars of marble, Founded on sockets of fine gold, His appearance as Lebanon, choice as the cedars.

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

16 His mouth is sweetness — and all of him desirable, This [is] my beloved, and this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

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