Song of Songs 5:8-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
tell him this:
I am faint with love.(A)
Colloquy of Friends and the Young Woman
9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O fairest among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
that you thus charge us?(B)
10 My beloved is all radiant and ruddy,
distinguished among ten thousand.
11 His head is the finest gold;
his locks are wavy,
black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
beside springs of water,
bathed in milk,
fitly set.[a](C)
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices,
yielding fragrance.
His lips are lilies,
dripping liquid myrrh.(D)
14 His arms are rounded gold,
set with jewels.
His body is an ivory panel,[b]
decorated with sapphires.
15 His legs are alabaster columns,
set upon bases of gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as the cedars.
16 His speech is most sweet,
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved, and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.(E)
Song of Solomon 5:8-16
International Standard Version
8 I charge you, young women of Jerusalem,
“If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him?
Tell him[a] that I’m weak with love.”
The Young Women
9 What is so special about your beloved,[b]
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.[c]
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[d] is sweetness,
and all of him is desirable.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
young women of Jerusalem!
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 5:8 The Heb. lacks Tell him
- Song of Solomon 5:9 Or How is your beloved better than other beloveds
- Song of Solomon 5:14 Or lapis lazuli
- Song of Solomon 5:16 Lit. palate
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