Song of Solomon 5:8–16

Adjuration Refrain

8 I adjure you, ⌊O maidens of Jerusalem⌋,l

if you find my beloved, what will you tell him?

Tell him that I am ⌊lovesick⌋!m

The Maiden’s Praise of Her Beloved

9 ⌊How is your beloved better than another lover⌋,n

O most beautiful among women?

⌊How is your beloved better than another lover⌋, o

that you adjure us thus?

10 My beloved is radiant and ⌊ruddy⌋,p

distinguished ⌊among⌋q ten thousand.

11 His head is gold, refined gold;

his locks are wavy, black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside springsr of water,

bathed in milk, ⌊set like mounted jewels⌋.s t

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice, a tower of fragrances;

his lips are lilies dripping liquid myrrh.

14 His arms are ⌊rods⌋u v of gold ⌊engraved with⌋w jewels;

his bellyx is polished ivory covered with sapphires.y

15 His legs are columns of alabaster,z set on bases of gold;

his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as ⌊its cedars⌋.a

16 ⌊His mouth⌋b is sweet,

and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved;

this is my friend, ⌊O young women of Jerusalem⌋.c