HE

1I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,

I gathered my myrrh with my spice,

I ate my honeycomb with my honey,

I drank my wine with my milk.

OTHERS

Eat, friends, drink,

and be drunk with love!

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

SHE

2I slept, but my heart was awake.

A sound! My beloved is knocking.

“Open to me, my sister, my love,

my dove, my perfect one,

for my head is wet with dew,

my locks with the drops of the night.”

3I had put off my garment;

how could I put it on?

I had bathed my feet;

how could I soil them?

4My beloved put his hand to the latch,

and my heart was thrilled within me.

5I arose to open to my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

on the handles of the bolt.

6I opened to my beloved,

but my beloved had turned and gone.

My soul failed me when he spoke.

I sought him, but found him not;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

7The 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.

8I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

if you find my beloved,

that you tell him

I am sick with love.

OTHERS

9What is your beloved more than another beloved,

O most beautiful among women?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

that you thus adjure us?

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

SHE

10My beloved is radiant and ruddy,

distinguished among ten thousand.

11His head is the finest gold;

his locks are wavy,

black as a raven.

12His eyes are like doves

beside streams of water,

bathed in milk,

sitting beside a full pool.5:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

13His cheeks are like beds of spices,

mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.

His lips are lilies,

dripping liquid myrrh.

14His arms are rods of gold,

set with jewels.

His body is polished ivory,5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

bedecked with sapphires.5:14 Hebrew lapis lazuli

15His legs are alabaster columns,

set on bases of gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

choice as the cedars.

16His mouth5:16 Hebrew palate is most sweet,

and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved and this is my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.