Song Of Songs 5
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
MSG — The Message Bible (MSG)
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.
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 went to my garden, dear friend, best lover!
breathed the sweet fragrance.
I ate the fruit and honey,
I drank the nectar and wine.
breathed the sweet fragrance.
I ate the fruit and honey,
I drank the nectar and wine.
Celebrate with me, friends!
Raise your glasses—“To life! To love!”
The Woman
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.”
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 sound asleep, but in my dreams I was wide awake.
Oh, listen! It’s the sound of my lover knocking, calling!
Oh, listen! It’s the sound of my lover knocking, calling!
The Man
“Let me in, dear companion, dearest friend,
my dove, consummate lover!
I’m soaked with the dampness of the night,
drenched with dew, shivering and cold.”
The Woman
Verse 3
I have taken off my robe—
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
“But I’m in my nightgown—do you expect me to get dressed?
I’m bathed and in bed—do you want me to get dirty?”
I’m bathed and in bed—do you want me to get dirty?”
Verse 4
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
my heart began to pound for him.
But my lover wouldn’t take no for an answer,
and the longer he knocked, the more excited I became.
I got up to open the door to my lover,
sweetly ready to receive him,
Desiring and expectant
as I turned the door handle.
But when I opened the door he was gone.
My loved one had tired of waiting and left.
And I died inside—oh, I felt so bad!
I ran out looking for him
But he was nowhere to be found.
I called into the darkness—but no answer.
The night watchmen found me
as they patrolled the streets of the city.
They slapped and beat and bruised me,
ripping off my clothes,
These watchmen,
who were supposed to be guarding the city.
and the longer he knocked, the more excited I became.
I got up to open the door to my lover,
sweetly ready to receive him,
Desiring and expectant
as I turned the door handle.
But when I opened the door he was gone.
My loved one had tired of waiting and left.
And I died inside—oh, I felt so bad!
I ran out looking for him
But he was nowhere to be found.
I called into the darkness—but no answer.
The night watchmen found me
as they patrolled the streets of the city.
They slapped and beat and bruised me,
ripping off my clothes,
These watchmen,
who were supposed to be guarding the city.
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.
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
— not in MSG
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.
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.
— not in MSG
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!
as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
— not in MSG
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.
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.
Friends
I beg you, sisters in Jerusalem—
if you find my lover,
Please tell him I want him,
that I’m heartsick with love for him.
if you find my lover,
Please tell him I want him,
that I’m heartsick with love for 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?
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
She
What’s so great about your lover, fair lady?
What’s so special about him that you beg for our help?
What’s so special about him that you beg for our help?
The Woman
Verse 10
My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
outstanding among ten thousand.
My dear lover glows with health—
red-blooded, radiant!
He’s one in a million.
There’s no one quite like him!
My golden one, pure and untarnished,
with raven black curls tumbling across his shoulders.
His eyes are like doves, soft and bright,
but deep-set, brimming with meaning, like wells of water.
His face is rugged, his beard smells like sage,
His voice, his words, warm and reassuring.
Fine muscles ripple beneath his skin,
quiet and beautiful.
His torso is the work of a sculptor,
hard and smooth as ivory.
He stands tall, like a cedar,
strong and deep-rooted,
A rugged mountain of a man,
aromatic with wood and stone.
His words are kisses, his kisses words.
Everything about him delights me, thrills me
through and through!
red-blooded, radiant!
He’s one in a million.
There’s no one quite like him!
My golden one, pure and untarnished,
with raven black curls tumbling across his shoulders.
His eyes are like doves, soft and bright,
but deep-set, brimming with meaning, like wells of water.
His face is rugged, his beard smells like sage,
His voice, his words, warm and reassuring.
Fine muscles ripple beneath his skin,
quiet and beautiful.
His torso is the work of a sculptor,
hard and smooth as ivory.
He stands tall, like a cedar,
strong and deep-rooted,
A rugged mountain of a man,
aromatic with wood and stone.
His words are kisses, his kisses words.
Everything about him delights me, thrills me
through and through!
That’s my lover, that’s my man,
dear Jerusalem sisters.
Verse 11
His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
— not in MSG
Verse 12
His eyes are like doves
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
— not in MSG
Verse 13
His cheeks are like beds of spice
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
— not in MSG
Verse 14
His arms are rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
— not in MSG
Verse 15
His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
— not in MSG
Verse 16
His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.
— not in MSG