The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

She

2  I slept, but my heart was awake.

A sound! My beloved is mknocking.

“Open to me, my nsister, my olove,

my pdove, my qperfect one,

for my head is wet with dew,

my rlocks with the drops of the night.”

3  sI had put off my garment;

how could I put it on?

I had tbathed 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 uliquid 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 vspoke.

wI sought him, but found him not;

xI called him, but he gave no answer.

7  yThe 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 zadjure you, O adaughters of Jerusalem,

if you find my beloved,

that you tell him

bI am sick with love.