Song Of Solomon 5

“^[a]I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb ^[b]and my honey;
I have drunk my wine ^[c]and my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and ^[d]imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
    I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
    I have drunk my wine and my milk.

“^[e]I was asleep but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is ^[f]drenched with dew,
My locks with the ^[g]damp of the night.’

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.’

“I have taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?

I have taken off my robe –
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet –
    must I soil them again?

“My beloved extended his hand through the opening,
And my ^[h]feelings were aroused for him.

My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.

“I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with ^[i]liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.

I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.

“I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and had gone!
My ^[j]heart went out to him as he spoke.
I searched for him but I did not find him;
I called him but he did not answer me.

I opened for my beloved,
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.
    My heart sank at his departure.^[a]
I looked for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.

“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!

“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you will tell him:
For I am lovesick.”

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you –
    if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.

“^[k][l]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
^[m]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
That thus you adjure us?”

How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?

“^[n]My beloved is dazzling and ruddy,
^[o]Outstanding among ten thousand.

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

“His head is like gold, pure gold;
His locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.

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

“His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And ^[p]reposed in their setting.

His eyes are like doves
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,
    mounted like jewels.

“His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Banks of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are lilies
Dripping with liquid myrrh.

His cheeks are like beds of spice
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
    dripping with myrrh.

“His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl;
His abdomen is carved ivory
Inlaid with ^[q]sapphires.

His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.

“His legs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like Lebanon
Choice as the cedars.

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

“His ^[r]mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”