Song of Solomon, 5

1. 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.

1. I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with spices, I have eaten my honey and my honeycomb, I have drunk my milk and my wine. Friends, eat and drink! Drink your fill, my dearest ones!

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.

2. I slept, but my heart kept vigil. I heard the knock of my beloved. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my perfect one, my dove! My head is wet with dew, my hair 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?

3. I have taken off my robe; must I put it on again? I have washed my feet; must I soil them again?

4. My beloved put in his hand by the hole [of the door], and my bowels were moved for him.

4. My lover thrust his hand through the lock opening and my heart thrilled for him.

5. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped [with] myrrh, and my fingers [with] sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

5. I rose to open the door. Myrrh from my hands dripped on the handle of the lock.

6. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, [and] was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

6. I opened to my lover but he had turned and gone - my soul went after him! I sought him but did not find him; I called him but he did not 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.

7. The watchmen came upon me those who patrol the city; they beat me and wounded me; they took away my mantle - oh, those guardians of the walls!

8. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I [am] sick of love.

8. I beg you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you ever find my lover - Oh, what will you tell him? Tell him that love makes me sick.

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?

9. How is your lover better than others, most beautiful woman? How is your lover better than others, that you do so beg us?

10. My beloved [is] white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

10. Radiant and ruddy, my lover stands out among thousands.

11. His head [is as] the most fine gold, his locks [are] bushy, [and] black as a raven.

11. Pure gold is his head, palm fronds are his hair, glossy black like the raven.

12. His eyes [are] as [the eyes] of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, [and] fitly set.

12. His eyes are doves beside running waters, bathed in milk and set like jewels.

13. His cheeks [are] as a bed of spices, [as] sweet flowers: his lips [like] lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

13. His fragrant cheeks are like beds of spice; his lips like lilies dripping with myrrh.

14. His hands [are as] gold rings set with the beryl: his belly [is as] bright ivory overlaid [with] sapphires.

14. His hands are rods of gold adorned with jewels; his body is polished ivory covered 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.

15. set upon bases of gold; his legs are pillars of alabaster. He has the stature of Lebanon, excelling like 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.

16. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is most worthy of desire. O daughters of Jerusalem, such is my friend and lover.