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I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
    If you find my beloved,
    that you tell him that I am faint with love.

Friends

How is your beloved better than another beloved,
    you fairest among women?
How is your beloved better than another beloved,
that you do so adjure us?

Beloved

10 My beloved is white and ruddy.
    The best among ten thousand.
11 His head is like the purest gold.
    His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks,
    washed with milk, mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes.
    His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl.
    His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold.
    His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness;
    yes, he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, and this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.

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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

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!

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:8 The Heb. lacks Tell him
  2. Song of Solomon 5:9 Or How is your beloved better than other beloveds
  3. Song of Solomon 5:14 Or lapis lazuli
  4. Song of Solomon 5:16 Lit. palate