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Young Man

I have entered my garden, my treasure,[a] my bride!
    I gather myrrh with my spices
and eat honeycomb with my honey.
    I drink wine with my milk.

Young Women of Jerusalem

Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink!
    Yes, drink deeply of your love!

Young Woman

I slept, but my heart was awake,
    when I heard my lover knocking and calling:
“Open to me, my treasure, my darling,
    my dove, my perfect one.
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”

But I responded,
“I have taken off my robe.
    Should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet.
    Should I get them soiled?”

My lover tried to unlatch the door,
    and my heart thrilled within me.
I jumped up to open the door for my love,
    and my hands dripped with perfume.
My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh
    as I pulled back the bolt.
I opened to my lover,
    but he was gone!
    My heart sank.
I searched for him
    but could not find him anywhere.
I called to him,
    but there was no reply.
The night watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds.
They beat and bruised me
    and stripped off my veil,
    those watchmen on the walls.

Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem—
    If you find my lover,
    tell him I am weak with love.

Young Women of Jerusalem

Why is your lover better than all others,
    O woman of rare beauty?
What makes your lover so special
    that we must promise this?

Young Woman

10 My lover is dark and dazzling,
    better than ten thousand others!
11 His head is finest gold,
    his wavy hair is black as a raven.
12 His eyes sparkle like doves
    beside springs of water;
they are set like jewels
    washed in milk.
13 His cheeks are like gardens of spices
    giving off fragrance.
His lips are like lilies,
    perfumed with myrrh.
14 His arms are like rounded bars of gold,
    set with beryl.
His body is like bright ivory,
    glowing with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are like marble pillars
    set in sockets of finest gold.
His posture is stately,
    like the noble cedars of Lebanon.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself;
    he is desirable in every way.
Such, O women of Jerusalem,
    is my lover, my friend.

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Hebrew my sister; also in 5:2.

The Torment of Separation

(The Bridegroom)

“I have come into my garden, my sister, my [promised] bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam and spice [from your sweet words].
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and drink deeply, O lovers.”(A)

(The Shulammite Bride)


“I was asleep, but my heart was awake.
A voice [in my dream]! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is drenched with the [heavy night] dew;
My hair [is covered] with the dampness of the night.’(B)

“I had taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I had washed my feet,
How could I get them dirty again?(C)

“My beloved extended his hand through the opening [of the door],
And my feelings were aroused for him.

“I arose to open for my beloved;
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.

“I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart went out to him when he spoke.
I searched for him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he did not answer me.

“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took my shawl from me.

“I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you tell him—
[Say that] I am sick from love [sick from being without him].”(D)

(The Chorus)


“What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
That you should so command us to take an oath?”(E)

Admiration by the Bride

(The Shulammite Bride)

10 
“My beloved is exquisitely handsome and ruddy,
Outstanding among ten thousand.(F)
11 
“His head is like [precious] gold, pure gold;
His hair is [curly] like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 
“His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk
And reposed in their setting.
13 
“His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Banks of sweet, fragrant herbs.
His lips are lilies
Dripping sweet-scented myrrh.
14 
“His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl;
His abdomen is a figure of carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
15 
“His legs are [strong and steady] pillars of alabaster
Set upon pedestals of fine gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
Stately and choice as the cedars.
16 
“His mouth is full of sweetness;
Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”(G)

M I have come to my garden—my sister, my bride.
I gather[a] my myrrh with my spices.
I eat my honeycomb with my honey.
I drink my wine with my milk.

N Eat, friends!
Drink, be intoxicated with love![b](A)

W I sleep, but my heart is awake.
A sound! My love is knocking!(B)

M Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my perfect one.
For my head is drenched with dew,
my hair with droplets of the night.

W I have taken off my clothing.(C)
How can I put it back on?
I have washed my feet.
How can I get them dirty?
My love thrust his hand through the opening,
and my feelings were stirred for him.
I rose to open for my love.
My hands dripped with myrrh,(D)
my fingers with flowing myrrh
on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my love,
but my love had turned and gone away.
I was crushed[c] that he had left.[d]
I sought him, but did not find him.(E)
I called him, but he did not answer.
The guards who go about the city found me.(F)
They beat and wounded me;
they took my cloak[e] from me—
the guardians of the walls.(G)
Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you:(H)
if you find my love,
tell him that I am lovesick.(I)

Y What makes the one you love better than another,
most beautiful of women?(J)
What makes him better than another,
that you would give us this charge?

10 W My love is fit and strong,[f](K)
notable among ten thousand.(L)
11 His head is purest gold.
His hair is wavy[g](M)
and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(N)
beside streams of water,
washed in milk
and set like jewels.[h]
13 His cheeks(O) are like beds of spice,
towers of[i] perfume.
His lips are lilies,
dripping with flowing myrrh.(P)
14 His arms[j] are rods of gold
set[k] with topaz.[l](Q)
His body[m] is an ivory panel
covered with sapphires.(R)
15 His legs are alabaster pillars
set on pedestals of pure gold.
His presence is like Lebanon,(S)
as majestic as the cedars.(T)
16 His mouth is sweetness.
He is absolutely desirable.(U)
This is my love, and this is my friend,
young women of Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:1 Lit pluck
  2. Song of Solomon 5:1 Or Drink your fill, lovers
  3. Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit My soul went out
  4. Song of Solomon 5:6 Or spoken
  5. Song of Solomon 5:7 Or veil, or shawl
  6. Song of Solomon 5:10 Or is radiant and ruddy
  7. Song of Solomon 5:11 Or is [like] palm leaves; Hb obscure
  8. Song of Solomon 5:12 Lit milk sitting in fullness
  9. Song of Solomon 5:13 LXX, Vg read spice, yielding
  10. Song of Solomon 5:14 Lit hands
  11. Song of Solomon 5:14 Lit filled; Sg 5:2,12
  12. Song of Solomon 5:14 Probably yellow topaz
  13. Song of Solomon 5:14 Lit abdomen

The Bride Praises the Bridegroom

The Beloved

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

(To His Friends)

Eat, O (D)friends!
Drink, yes, drink deeply,
O beloved ones!

The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening

The Shulamite

I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
(E)He knocks, saying,
“Open for me, my sister, [a]my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My [b]locks with the drops of the night.”

I have taken off my robe;
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet;
How can I [c]defile them?
My beloved put his hand
By the [d]latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My [e]heart leaped up when he spoke.
(F)I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
(G)The watchmen who went about the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls
Took my veil away from me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
That you tell him I am lovesick!

The Daughters of Jerusalem

What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
(H)O fairest among women?
What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
That you so [f]charge us?

The Shulamite

10 My beloved is white and ruddy,
[g]Chief among ten thousand.
11 His head is like the finest gold;
His locks are wavy,
And black as a raven.
12 (I)His eyes are like doves
By the rivers of waters,
Washed with milk,
And [h]fitly set.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices,
Banks of scented herbs.
His lips are lilies,
Dripping liquid myrrh.

14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl.
His body is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold.
His countenance is like Lebanon,
Excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet,
Yes, he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,
And this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem!

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:2 my companion, friend
  2. Song of Solomon 5:2 curls or hair
  3. Song of Solomon 5:3 dirty
  4. Song of Solomon 5:4 opening
  5. Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit. soul
  6. Song of Solomon 5:9 adjure
  7. Song of Solomon 5:10 Distinguished
  8. Song of Solomon 5:12 sitting in a setting