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The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

[a]I have (A)come into my garden, (B)my sister, my bride;
I have picked 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 [b]imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

[c]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 full of dew,
My (I)locks with the [d]damp of the night.’
I have (J)taken off my long-sleeved garment,
How can I put it on again?
I have (K)washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?
My beloved sent forth his hand through the opening,
And my [e](L)feelings moaned for him.
I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands (M)dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with [f]liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.
I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had (N)turned away and passed by!
My soul 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 go about in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.
I (S)call you to solemnly swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
What will you tell him?
Tell him that (T)I am sick with love.”

[g]What is your beloved that he is more than any other beloved,
O (U)most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved that he is more than any other beloved,
That thus you call us to solemnly swear?”

The Bride Extols Her Beloved

10 [h]My beloved is dazzling and (V)ruddy,
(W)Lifted up as a banner among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, fine 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,
Washed in milk,
And sitting in their (Z)setting.
13 His cheeks are like a (AA)bed of spices,
Towers of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are (AB)lilies
(AC)Dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with (AD)beryl;
His abdomen is a plate of ivory
Inlaid with [i](AE)sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold;
His appearance is like (AF)Lebanon
Choice as the (AG)cedars.
16 His [j](AH)mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly (AI)desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:1 BRIDEGROOM
  2. Song of Songs 5:1 Or become drunk
  3. Song of Songs 5:2 BRIDE
  4. Song of Songs 5:2 Lit drops
  5. Song of Songs 5:4 Lit bowels
  6. Song of Songs 5:5 Lit passing
  7. Song of Songs 5:9 CHORUS
  8. Song of Songs 5:10 BRIDE
  9. Song of Songs 5:14 Lit lapis lazuli
  10. Song of Songs 5:16 Lit palate