Song of Solomon 5 (New International Version)

Song of Solomon 5

Lover

 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, O friends, and drink;
       drink your fill, O lovers.

Beloved

 ² I slept but my heart was awake.
       Listen! My lover 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."

 ³ I have taken off my robe—
       must I put it on again?
       I have washed my feet—
       must I soil them again?

 ⁴ My lover thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
       my heart began to pound for him.

 ⁵ I arose to open for my lover,
       and my hands dripped with myrrh,
       my fingers with flowing myrrh,
       on the handles of the lock.

 ⁶ I opened for my lover,
       but my lover 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.

 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!

 ⁸ O daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you—
       if you find my lover,
       what will you tell him?
       Tell him I am faint with love.

Friends

 ⁹ How is your beloved better than others,
       most beautiful of women?
       How is your beloved better than others,
       that you charge us so?

Beloved

 ¹⁰ My lover is radiant and ruddy,
       outstanding among ten thousand.

 ¹¹ His head is purest gold;
       his hair is wavy
       and black as a raven.

 ¹² His eyes are like doves
       by the water streams,
       washed in milk,
       mounted like jewels.

 ¹³ His cheeks are like beds of spice
       yielding perfume.
       His lips are like lilies
       dripping with myrrh.

 ¹⁴ His arms are rods of gold
       set with chrysolite.
       His body is like polished ivory
       decorated with sapphires. ^[b]

 ¹⁵ His legs are pillars of marble
       set on bases of pure gold.
       His appearance is like Lebanon,
       choice as its cedars.

 ¹⁶ His mouth is sweetness itself;
       he is altogether lovely.
       This is my lover, this my friend,
       O daughters of Jerusalem.