The Torment of Separation

The Groom

“I have (A)come into my garden, (B)my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my (C)myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb with my (D)honey;
I have (E)drunk my wine with my milk.
Eat, (F)friends;
Drink and [a]drink deeply, lovers.”

The Bride

“I was asleep but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, (G)my sister, my darling,
(H)My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is [b]drenched with dew,
My (I)locks with the dew drops of the night.’
I have (J)taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I have (K)washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?
My beloved extended his hand through the opening,
And my (L)feelings were stirred for him.
I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands (M)dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with drops of myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had (N)turned away and had gone!
My [c]heart went out to him as he (O)spoke.
I (P)searched for him but I did not find him;
I (Q)called him but he did not answer me.
The (R)watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guards of the walls took my shawl away from me.
(S)Swear to me, you daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you will tell him:
For (T)I am lovesick.”

The Chorus

[d]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
O (U)most beautiful among women?
[e]What kind of beloved is your beloved,
That you make us swear in this way?”

Admiration by the Bride

The Bride

10 “My beloved is dazzling and [f](V)reddish,
(W)Outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, pure gold;
His (X)locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 His (Y)eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And perched in their (Z)setting.
13 His cheeks are like a (AA)bed of balsam,
[g]Banks of herbal spices;
His lips are (AB)lilies
(AC)Dripping with drops of myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with (AD)topaz;
His abdomen is panels of ivory
Covered with [h](AE)sapphires.
15 His thighs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like (AF)Lebanon,
Choice as the (AG)cedars.
16 His [i](AH)mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly (AI)desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
You daughters of Jerusalem.”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:1 Or become drunk
  2. Song of Solomon 5:2 Lit filled
  3. Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit soul
  4. Song of Solomon 5:9 Or What is your beloved more than another beloved
  5. Song of Solomon 5:9 Or What is your beloved more than another beloved
  6. Song of Solomon 5:10 I.e., of reddish hair or skin
  7. Song of Solomon 5:13 Lit Towers
  8. Song of Solomon 5:14 Lit lapis lazuli
  9. Song of Solomon 5:16 Lit palate

Pangsamantalang paghihiwalay.

Ako'y (A)dumating sa aking halamanan, kapatid ko, kasintahan ko:
Aking dinampot ang aking (B)mira pati ang aking especia;
(C)Aking kinain ang aking pulot-pukyutan pati ang aking pulot;
Aking ininom ang aking alak pati ang aking gatas.
Magsikain kayo, Oh mga kaibigan; Magsiinom kayo, oo, magsiinom kayo ng sagana, Oh sinisinta.
Ako'y nakatulog, nguni't ang aking puso ay gising:
Ang tinig ng aking sinta (D)ang siyang tumutuktok, na kaniyang sinasabi,
Pagbuksan mo ako, kapatid ko, (E)sinta ko, (F)kalapati ko, (G)sakdal ko:
Sapagka't ang aking ulo ay basa ng hamog,
Ang aking mga kulot na buhok ay ng mga patak ng gabi.
Aking hinubad ang aking suot; paanong aking isusuot?
Aking hinugasan ang aking mga paa paanong sila'y aking dudumhan?
Isinuot ng aking sinta ang kaniyang kamay sa butas ng pintuan,
At nakilos ang aking puso sa kaniya.
Ako'y bumangon upang pagbuksan ang aking sinta;
At ang aking mga kamay ay tutulo ng mira,
At ang aking mga daliri ng malabnaw na mira.
Sa mga tatangnan ng trangka.
Aking pinagbuksan ang aking sinta:
Nguni't ang aking sinta ay umurong at nakaalis,
Napanglupaypay na ako ng aking kaluluwa (H)nang siya'y magsalita:
(I)Aking hinanap siya, nguni't hindi ko nasumpungan siya;
Aking tinawag siya, nguni't hindi siya sumagot sa akin.
Nasumpungan ako ng (J)mga bantay na nagsisilibot sa bayan,
Sinaktan nila ako, sinugatan nila ako,
Inalis sa akin ang aking balabal ng mga tanod ng mga kuta.
Pinagbibilinan ko kayo, (K)Oh mga anak na babae ng Jerusalem,
Kung inyong masumpungan ang aking sinta,
Na inyong saysayin sa kaniya, na ako'y may sakit, (L)na pagsinta.
Ano ang iyong sinta na higit kay sa ibang sinta,
(M)Oh ikaw na pinakamaganda sa mga babae?
Ano ang iyong sinta na higit kay sa ibang sinta,
Na iyong ibinibilin sa amin ng ganyan?
10 Ang aking sinisinta ay maputi at mapulapula
Na pinakamainam sa sangpung libo.
11 Ang kaniyang ulo ay gaya ng pinakamainam na (N)ginto:
Ang kaniyang kulot na buhok ay malago at maitim na gaya ng uwak.
12 Ang kaniyang mga mata ay (O)gaya ng mga kalapati sa siping ng mga batis ng tubig;
Na hinugasan ng gatas at bagay ang pagkalagay.
13 Ang kaniyang mga pisngi ay gaya ng (P)pitak ng mga especia,
Gaya ng mga bunton ng mga mainam na gulay:
Ang kaniyang mga labi ay gaya ng mga (Q)lila na tumutulo ng malabnaw na mira.
14 Ang kaniyang mga kamay ay gaya ng mga singsing na ginto na may lakip na (R)berilo:
Ang kaniyang katawan ay gaya ng yaring garing na binalot ng mga (S)zafiro.
15 Ang kaniyang mga hita ay gaya ng haliging marmol, na nalalapag sa mga tungtungan na dalisay na ginto:
Ang kaniyang anyo ay gaya ng (T)Libano na marilag na gaya ng mga sedro.
16 Ang kaniyang bibig ay pinakamatamis:
Oo, siya'y totoong kaibigibig.
Ito'y aking sinta at ito'y aking kaibigan,
Oh mga anak na babae ng Jerusalem.

He

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

Friends

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

She

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,(D) my flawless(E) one.(F)
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,(G)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
I opened for my beloved,(H)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.(I)
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked(J) for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.
The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(K)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(L)
    if you find my beloved,(M)
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.(N)

Friends

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

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.(P)
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(Q)
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,(R)
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks(S) are like beds of spice(T)
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies(U)
    dripping with myrrh.(V)
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.(W)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,(X)
    choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth(Y) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,(Z) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke