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

The Lover

I’ve come into my garden, my sister, my[a] bride;
I’ve gathered my myrrh with my spices.
I’ve eaten my honeycomb with my honey.
I’ve drunk my wine with my milk.

Eat, friends!
    Drink and become drunk with love.

The Loved One

I was asleep, but my heart was awake.
    There’s a sound! My beloved is knocking.

The Lover

“Open up for me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove, my perfect one.
For my head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”

The Loved One

“I’ve taken off my clothes[b]
    am I supposed to put them on again?[c]
I’ve washed my feet—
    am I supposed to[d] get them dirty again?”
My beloved reached out his hand for the latch.[e]
    My feelings for him were aroused.
I got up to open the door,[f]
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
    on the handle of the lock.
I opened the door[g] for my beloved,
    but my beloved had turned away; he was gone!
My very life went out when he departed.[h]
    I searched for him,
        but couldn’t find him.
    I called out to him,
        but he didn’t answer.
The watchmen making their[i] rounds
    through the city found me.
They beat me, they bruised me.
    Those guarding the walls took my cloak[j] from me.

I charge you, young women of Jerusalem,
    “If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him?
        Tell him[k] that I’m weak with love.”

The Young Women

What is so special about your beloved,[l]
    most beautiful of women?
What is so special about your beloved,
    that you charge us like this?

The Loved One

10 My beloved is dazzling,
    with a dark and healthy complexion,
        outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is pure gold,
    his hair is wavy, black like a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
    by streams of water,
bathed in milk,
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices,
    like towers of perfume.
His lips are lilies,
    dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold,
    set with beryl.
His stomach is carved ivory,
    inlaid with sapphires.[m]
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
    choice like its cedars.
16 His mouth[n] is sweetness,
    and all of him is desirable.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
    young women of Jerusalem!

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:1 The Heb. lacks my
  2. Song of Solomon 5:3 Or my tunic
  3. Song of Solomon 5:3 Lit. How shall I put them on again?
  4. Song of Solomon 5:3 Lit. How shall I
  5. Song of Solomon 5:4 Or keyhole
  6. Song of Solomon 5:5 The Heb. lacks the door
  7. Song of Solomon 5:6 The Heb. lacks the door
  8. Song of Solomon 5:6 Or when he spoke
  9. Song of Solomon 5:7 The Heb. lacks their
  10. Song of Solomon 5:7 Or shawl
  11. Song of Solomon 5:8 The Heb. lacks Tell him
  12. Song of Solomon 5:9 Or How is your beloved better than other beloveds
  13. Song of Solomon 5:14 Or lapis lazuli
  14. Song of Solomon 5:16 Lit. palate