Song Of Songs 5

NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)

AMP — Amplified Bible (AMP)

Verse 1

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.

Friends

Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.

She

“I have come into my garden, my sister, my [promised] bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam and spice [from your sweet words].
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and drink deeply, O lovers.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

Verse 2

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 was asleep, but my heart was awake.
A voice [in my dream]! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is drenched with the [heavy night] dew;
My hair [is covered] with the dampness of the night.’

Verse 3

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

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

Verse 4

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

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

Verse 5

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 arose to open for my beloved;
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.

Verse 6

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.

“I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart went out to him when he spoke.
I searched for him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he did not answer me.

Verse 7

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!

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

Verse 8

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

Friends

“I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you tell him—
[Say that] I am sick from love [sick from being without him].”

(The Chorus)

Verse 9

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

She

“What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
That you should so command us to take an oath?”

Admiration by the Bride

(The Shulammite Bride)

Verse 10

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

“My beloved is exquisitely handsome and ruddy,
Outstanding among ten thousand.

Verse 11

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

“His head is like [precious] gold, pure gold;
His hair is [curly] like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.

Verse 12

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

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

Verse 13

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

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

Verse 14

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

“His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl;
His abdomen is a figure of carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.

Verse 15

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

“His legs are [strong and steady] pillars of alabaster
Set upon pedestals of fine gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
Stately and choice as the cedars.

Verse 16

His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.

“His mouth is full of sweetness;
Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”