Song of Solomon 3:6–5:1
6 What is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense
from all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon’s ⌊portable couch⌋!i
Sixty mighty men surround ⌊it⌋,j
the mighty men of Israel.
8 All of them ⌊wield swords⌋;k
they are ⌊trained in warfare⌋,l
each with his sword at his thigh
to guard ⌊against terror⌋m in the night.
9 ⌊King Solomon⌋n made for himself a sedan chair
from the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its column of silver, its backo of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior is inlaid with leatherp by ⌊the maidens of Jerusalem⌋.q
11 Come out and look, ⌊O maidens of Zion⌋,r at ⌊King Solomon⌋,s
at the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the joy of his heart!
The Groom’s Praise of His Bride
4 Look! You are beautiful, my beloved!
Look! You are beautiful!
Your eyes are doves
from behind your veil.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
that move down from the mountains of Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes
that came up from the washing,
all of them bearing twins,
and there is none bereaved among them.
3 Your lips are like a thread of crimson,
and your mouth is lovely.
Your temple is like halves of pomegranate
from behind your veil.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
built in courses;
a thousand ⌊ornaments⌋a are hung on it,
all the shields of the warriors.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle that feed among the lilies.
6 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of the myrrh,
to the hill of the frankincense.
7 You are completely beautiful, my beloved!
⌊You are flawless⌋!b
The Mountains and Fragrance of Lebanon
8 Comec with me from Lebanon, my bride!
Come with med from Lebanon!
Look from the top of Amana,
from the top of Senir and Hermon,
from the dwelling places of the lions,
from the mountains of leopard.
9 You have stolen (my) heart, my sister bride!
You have stolen my heart with one glance from your eyes,
with one ornament from your necklaces.
10 How beautiful is your love, my sister bride!
How better is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!
11 Your lips drip nectar, my bride;
honey and milk are under your lips;
the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.
The Locked Garden of Delights Is Unlocked
12 A garden locked is my sister bride,
a spring enclosed,e a fountain sealed.
13 Your shootsf are an orchard of pomegranates with ⌊choice fruit⌋,g
henna with nard;
14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon spice with all trees of frankincense,
myrrh and aloes with all chief spices.
15 A garden fountain, a well of living water,
flowing (streams) from Lebanon.
16 Awake, O north wind! Come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden! Let its fragrancesh waft forth!i
Let my beloved come to his garden,
let him eat his choice fruit!
5 I have come to my garden, my sister bride,
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 and become drunk with love⌋!a