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

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