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The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

[a]I have (A)come into my garden, (B)my sister, my bride;
I have picked my (C)myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb with my (D)honey;
I have (E)drunk my wine with my milk.
Eat, (F)friends;
Drink and [b]imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

[c]I was asleep, but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, (G)my sister, my darling,
(H)My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is full of dew,
My (I)locks with the [d]damp of the night.’
I have (J)taken off my long-sleeved garment,
How can I put it on again?
I have (K)washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?
My beloved sent forth his hand through the opening,
And my [e](L)feelings moaned for him.
I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands (M)dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with [f]liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.
I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had (N)turned away and passed by!
My soul went out to him as he (O)spoke.
I (P)searched for him, but I did not find him;
I (Q)called him, but he did not answer me.
The (R)watchmen who go about in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.
I (S)call you to solemnly swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
What will you tell him?
Tell him that (T)I am sick with love.”

[g]What is your beloved that he is more than any other beloved,
O (U)most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved that he is more than any other beloved,
That thus you call us to solemnly swear?”

The Bride Extols Her Beloved

10 [h]My beloved is dazzling and (V)ruddy,
(W)Lifted up as a banner among ten thousand.
11 His head is like gold, fine gold;
His (X)locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.
12 His (Y)eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Washed in milk,
And sitting in their (Z)setting.
13 His cheeks are like a (AA)bed of spices,
Towers of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are (AB)lilies
(AC)Dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are rods of gold
Set with (AD)beryl;
His abdomen is a plate of ivory
Inlaid with [i](AE)sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold;
His appearance is like (AF)Lebanon
Choice as the (AG)cedars.
16 His [j](AH)mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly (AI)desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:1 BRIDEGROOM
  2. Song of Songs 5:1 Or become drunk
  3. Song of Songs 5:2 BRIDE
  4. Song of Songs 5:2 Lit drops
  5. Song of Songs 5:4 Lit bowels
  6. Song of Songs 5:5 Lit passing
  7. Song of Songs 5:9 CHORUS
  8. Song of Songs 5:10 BRIDE
  9. Song of Songs 5:14 Lit lapis lazuli
  10. Song of Songs 5:16 Lit palate

He

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

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.”
(M)I had put off my garment;
    how could I put it on?
I had (N)bathed my feet;
    how could I soil them?
My beloved put his hand to the latch,
    and my heart was thrilled within me.
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.
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.
(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.
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

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

  1. Song of Solomon 5:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Song of Solomon 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  3. Song of Solomon 5:14 Hebrew lapis lazuli
  4. Song of Solomon 5:16 Hebrew palate