2 I slept but my heart was awake.

Listen! My beloved is knocking:

“Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my flawless one.

My head is drenched with dew,

my hair with the dampness of the night.”

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 thrust his hand through the latch-opening;

my heart began to pound for him.

5 I arose to open for my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with flowing myrrh,

on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened for my beloved,

but my beloved had left; he was gone.

My heart sank at his departure.

I looked for him but did not find him.

I called him but he did not answer.

2 I 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.”

3 I had put off my garment;

how could I put it on?

I had 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 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 spoke.

I sought him, but found him not;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

2 I slept, but my heart was awake,

when I heard my lover knocking and calling:

“Open to me, my treasure, my darling,

my dove, my perfect one.

My head is drenched with dew,

my hair with the dampness of the night.”

3 But I responded,

“I have taken off my robe.

Should I get dressed again?

I have washed my feet.

Should I get them soiled?”

4 My lover tried to unlatch the door,

and my heart thrilled within me.

5 I jumped up to open the door for my love,

and my hands dripped with perfume.

My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh

as I pulled back the bolt.

6 I opened to my lover,

but he was gone!

My heart sank.

I searched for him

but could not find him anywhere.

I called to him,

but there was no reply.

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake;

It is the voice of my beloved!

He knocks, saying,

“Open for me, my sister, my love,

My dove, my perfect one;

For my head is covered with dew,

My locks with the drops of the night.”

3 I have taken off my robe;

How can I put it on again?

I have washed my feet;

How can I defile them?

4 My beloved put his hand

By the latch of the door,

And my heart yearned for him.

5 I arose to open for my beloved,

And my hands dripped with myrrh,

My fingers with liquid myrrh,

On the handles of the lock.

6 I opened for my beloved,

But my beloved had turned away and was gone.

My heart leaped up when he spoke.

I sought him, but I could not find him;

I called him, but he gave me no answer.

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake.

I hear my lover knocking.

“Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my perfect one.

My head is wet with dew,

and my hair with the dampness of the night.”

3 I have taken off my garment

and don’t want to put it on again.

I have washed my feet

and don’t want to get them dirty again.

4 My lover put his hand through the opening,

and I felt excited inside.

5 I got up to open the door for my lover.

Myrrh was dripping from my hands

and flowing from my fingers,

onto the handles of the lock.

6 I opened the door for my lover,

but my lover had left and was gone.

When he spoke, he took my breath away.

I looked for him, but I could not find him;

I called for him, but he did not answer.

2 I was asleep, but my heart waked:

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,

My locks with the drops of the night.

3 I have put off my garment; 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 dropped with myrrh,

And my fingers with liquid myrrh,

Upon the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my beloved;

But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone.

My soul had failed me when he spake:

I sought him, but I could not find him;

I called him, but he gave me no answer.

2 I slept, but my heart was awake. The voice of my beloved! he knocketh: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, mine undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night. 3 —I have put off my tunic, how should I put it on? I have washed my feet, how should I pollute them? — 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door; And my bowels yearned for him. 5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the lock. 6 I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself; he was gone: My soul went forth when he spoke. I sought him, but I found him not; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

2 I sleep, but my mind is awake. 

Listen! My beloved is knocking. 

Open to me, my true love, my sister, 

my dove, my perfect one. 

My head is wet with dew, 

my hair with the dewdrops of night. 

3 I have taken off my clothes! Why should I put them on ⸤again⸥? 

I have washed my feet! Why should I get them dirty ⸤again⸥? 

4 My beloved put his hand through the keyhole. 

My heart throbbed for him. 

5 I got up to open for my beloved. 

My hands dripped with myrrh, 

and my fingers were drenched with liquid myrrh, 

on the handles of the lock. 

6 I opened for my beloved, 

but my beloved had turned away. He was gone! 

I almost died when he left. 

I looked for him, but I did not find him. 

I called for him, but he did not answer me. 

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake.

A sound! My love is knocking!

Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my perfect one.

For my head is drenched with dew,

my hair with droplets of the night.

3 I have taken off my clothing.

How can I put it back on?

I have washed my feet.

How can I get them dirty?

4 My love thrust his hand through the opening,

and my feelings were stirred for him.

5 I rose to open for my love.

My hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with flowing myrrh

on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my love,

but my love had turned and gone away.

I was crushed that he had left.

I sought him, but did not find him.

I called him, but he did not answer.

2 I slept, but my heart was awake.

Listen! 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.”

3 I had put off my garment;

how could I put it on again?

I had bathed my feet;

how could I soil them?

4 My beloved thrust his hand into the opening,

and my inmost being yearned for him.

5 I arose to open to my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

upon the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened to my beloved,

but my beloved had turned and was gone.

My soul failed me when he spoke.

I sought him, but did not find him;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

2 I was asleep but my heart was awake.

A sound! My beloved knocking!

“Open to me, my sister, my beloved,

my dove, my perfect one!

For my head is full of dew,

my hair drenched from the moist night air.”

3 I have taken off my tunic, must I put it on?

I have bathed my feet, must I soil them?

4 My beloved thrust his hand into the opening,

and my inmost yearned for him.

5 I myself arose to open to my beloved;

my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh

upon the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened myself to my beloved,

but my beloved had turned and gone;

my heart sank when he turned away.

I sought him, but I did not find him;

I called him, but he did not answer me.

2 “I slept, but my heart was awake.

Listen! The one who loves me is knocking.

He says, ‘My sister, I love you.

Open up so I can come in.

You are my dove.

You are perfect in every way.

My head is soaked with dew.

The night air has made my hair wet.’

3 “But I’ve taken my robe off.

Must I put it on again?

I’ve washed my feet.

Must I get them dirty again?

4 My love put his hand through the opening.

My heart began to pound for him.

5 I got up to open the door for my love.

My hands dripped with myrrh.

It flowed from my fingers

onto the handles of the lock.

6 I opened the door for my love.

But he had left. He was gone.

My heart sank because he had left.

I looked for him but didn’t find him.

I called out to him, but he didn’t answer.

2 “I was asleep but my heart was awake.

A voice! My beloved was knocking:

‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,

My dove, my perfect one!

For my head is drenched with dew,

My locks with the damp of the night.’

3 “I have taken off my dress,

How can I put it on again?

I have washed my feet,

How can I dirty them again?

4 “My beloved extended his hand through the opening,

And my feelings were aroused for him.

5 “I arose to open to my beloved;

And my hands dripped with myrrh,

And my fingers with liquid myrrh,

On the handles of the bolt.

6 “I opened to my beloved,

But my beloved had turned away and had gone!

My heart went out to him as he spoke.

I searched for him but I did not find him;

I called him but he did not answer me.