⁹ How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?^(A)
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?

¹⁰ My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.^(B)
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
¹² His eyes are like doves^(C)
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,^(D)
    mounted like jewels.
¹³ His cheeks^(E) are like beds of spice^(F)
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies^(G)
    dripping with myrrh.^(H)
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.^(I)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,^(J)
    choice as its cedars.
¹⁶ His mouth^(K) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,^(L) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.^(M)

⁵ Who is this coming up from the wilderness^(A)
    leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived^(B) you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love^(C) is as strong as death,
    its jealousy^[a](D) unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.^[b]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it^[c] would be utterly scorned.^(E)