12 My sister, my bride, you are a locked garden—
a locked garden[a] and a sealed spring.(A)
13 Your branches are a paradise[b] of pomegranates
with choicest fruits,(B)
henna with nard—
14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,(C)
with all the trees of frankincense,(D)
myrrh and aloes,(E)
with all the best spices.
15 You are a garden spring,
a well of flowing water(F)
streaming from Lebanon.

16 W Awaken,(G) north wind—
come, south wind.
Blow on my garden,
and spread the fragrance of its spices.
Let my love come to his garden
and eat its choicest fruits.(H)

M I have come to my garden—my sister, my bride.
I gather[c] 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![d](I)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 4:12 Some Hb mss read locked fountain
  2. Song of Solomon 4:13 Or park, or orchard
  3. Song of Solomon 5:1 Lit pluck
  4. Song of Solomon 5:1 Or Drink your fill, lovers

12 My sister, my[a] bride, is a locked garden
    a locked rock garden, a sealed up spring.
13 Your shoots are an orchard[b] of pomegranates,
    with choice fruit, henna with nard,
14 nard and saffron,
    calamus and cinnamon,
with all the trees of frankincense,
    along with myrrh and aloes, and all the finest spices.[c]
15 You are a garden spring,
    a well of fresh water,
        streams flowing from Lebanon.

The Loved One

16 Awake, north wind, and come, south wind.
    Make my garden breathe out,
        let its fragrance[d] flow.
Let my beloved come into his garden,
    and let him eat its choicest fruits.

The Lover

I’ve come into my garden, my sister, my[e] 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.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 4:12 The Heb. lacks my
  2. Song of Solomon 4:13 Or a park
  3. Song of Solomon 4:14 All the spices listed in verses 13 and 14 were used for perfume.
  4. Song of Solomon 4:16 Or its spices
  5. Song of Solomon 5:1 The Heb. lacks my