² I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,^(A) my flawless^(B) one.^(C)
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 beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
⁵ I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,^(D)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
⁶ I opened for my beloved,^(E)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.^(F)
    My heart sank at his departure.^[a]
I looked^(G) 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.^(H)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
⁸ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you^(I)—
    if you find my beloved,^(J)
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.^(K)

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

¹⁰ My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.^(M)

¹⁶ His mouth^(A) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,^(B) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.^(C)