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Beloved

I was asleep, but my heart was awake.
    It is the voice of my beloved who knocks:
    “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled;
    for my head is filled with dew,
    and my hair with the dampness of the night.”
I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on?
    I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening.
    My heart pounded for him.
I rose up to open for my beloved.
    My hands dripped with myrrh,
    my fingers with liquid myrrh,
    on the handles of the lock.
I opened to my beloved;
    but my beloved left, and had gone away.
My heart went out when he spoke.
    I looked for him, but I didn’t find him.
    I called him, but he didn’t answer.
The watchmen who go about the city found me.
    They beat me.
    They bruised me.
    The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.

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Woman

I was sleeping, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My love was knocking!(A)

Man

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.

Woman

I have taken off my clothing.(B)
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,(C)
my fingers with flowing myrrh
on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my love,
but my love had turned and gone away.
My heart sank[a] because he had left.[b]
I sought him, but did not find him.(D)
I called him, but he did not answer.
The guards who go about the city found me.(E)
They beat and wounded me;
they took my cloak[c] from me—
the guardians of the walls.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 5:6 Lit My soul went out
  2. 5:6 Or spoken
  3. 5:7 Or veil, or shawl