Song of Solomon 5
International Standard Version
The Lover
5 I’ve come into my garden, my sister, my[a] 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.
The Loved One
2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake.
There’s a sound! My beloved is knocking.
The Lover
“Open up for me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my perfect one.
For my head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
The Loved One
3 “I’ve taken off my clothes[b]—
am I supposed to put them on again?[c]
I’ve washed my feet—
am I supposed to[d] get them dirty again?”
4 My beloved reached out his hand for the latch.[e]
My feelings for him were aroused.
5 I got up to open the door,[f]
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
on the handle of the lock.
6 I opened the door[g] for my beloved,
but my beloved had turned away; he was gone!
My very life went out when he departed.[h]
I searched for him,
but couldn’t find him.
I called out to him,
but he didn’t answer.
7 The watchmen making their[i] rounds
through the city found me.
They beat me, they bruised me.
Those guarding the walls took my cloak[j] from me.
8 I charge you, young women of Jerusalem,
“If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him?
Tell him[k] that I’m weak with love.”
The Young Women
9 What is so special about your beloved,[l]
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.[m]
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[n] is sweetness,
and all of him is desirable.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
young women of Jerusalem!
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 5:1 The Heb. lacks my
- Song of Solomon 5:3 Or my tunic
- Song of Solomon 5:3 Lit. How shall I put them on again?
- Song of Solomon 5:3 Lit. How shall I
- Song of Solomon 5:4 Or keyhole
- Song of Solomon 5:5 The Heb. lacks the door
- Song of Solomon 5:6 The Heb. lacks the door
- Song of Solomon 5:6 Or when he spoke
- Song of Solomon 5:7 The Heb. lacks their
- Song of Solomon 5:7 Or shawl
- 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
Song of Solomon 5
English Standard Version
He
5 I (A)came to my garden, my (B)sister, my bride,
I gathered my (C)myrrh with my spice,
I ate my (D)honeycomb with my honey,
I (E)drank my wine with my milk.
Others
Eat, (F)friends, drink,
and be drunk with love!
The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
She
2 I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is (G)knocking.
“Open to me, my (H)sister, my (I)love,
my (J)dove, my (K)perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my (L)locks with the drops of the night.”
3 (M)I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on?
I had (N)bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?
4 My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.
5 I arose to open to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with (O)liquid myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he (P)spoke.
(Q)I sought him, but found him not;
(R)I called him, but he gave no answer.
7 (S)The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city;
they beat me, they bruised me,
they took away my veil,
those watchmen of the walls.
8 I (T)adjure you, O (U)daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
(V)I am sick with love.
Others
9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O (W)most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
that you thus (X)adjure us?
The Bride Praises Her Beloved
She
10 My beloved is radiant and (Y)ruddy,
(Z)distinguished among ten thousand.
11 His head is the finest gold;
(AA)his locks are wavy,
black as a raven.
12 His (AB)eyes are like doves
beside streams of water,
bathed in milk,
sitting beside a full pool.[a]
13 His (AC)cheeks are like (AD)beds of spices,
mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are (AE)lilies,
dripping (AF)liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold,
set with (AG)jewels.
His body is polished ivory,[b]
bedecked with (AH)sapphires.[c]
15 His legs are alabaster columns,
set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like (AI)Lebanon,
choice as the cedars.
16 His (AJ)mouth[d] is most sweet,
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O (AK)daughters of Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- Song of Solomon 5:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Song of Solomon 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Song of Solomon 5:14 Hebrew lapis lazuli
- Song of Solomon 5:16 Hebrew palate
Song of Solomon 5
21st Century King James Version
5 “I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.” “Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”
2 “I sleep, but my heart waketh; it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night.’
3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart was moved for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. My soul failed when he spoke; I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7 The watchmen that went about the city found me. They smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick with love.”
9 “What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?”
10 “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
11 His head is as the most fine gold; his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers; his lips like lilies, dropping sweetsmelling myrrh.
14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
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