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.”
2 “[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.’ 3 “I have taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again? 4 “My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my [h]feelings were aroused for him. 5 “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. 6 “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. 7 “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. 8 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I am lovesick.”
9 “[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?”
Admiration by the Bride
10 “[n]My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, [o]Outstanding among ten thousand. 11 “His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven. 12 “His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And[p]reposed in theirsetting. 13 “His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are lilies Dripping with liquid myrrh. 14 “His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl; His abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with [q]sapphires. 15 “His legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like Lebanon Choice as the cedars. 16 “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.”
