Song of Solomon 5:2–6:3

She

2 I slept but my heart was awake.

Listen! My beloved is knocking:

“Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove,l my flawlessm one.n

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,o

my fingers with flowing myrrh,

on the handles of the bolt.

6 I opened for my beloved,p

but my beloved had left; he was gone.q

My heart sank at his departure.a

I lookedr for him but did not find him.

I called him but he did not answer.

7 The watchmen found me

as they made their rounds in the city.s

They beat me, they bruised me;

they took away my cloak,

those watchmen of the walls!

8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge yout—

if you find my beloved,u

what will you tell him?

Tell him I am faint with love.v

Friends

9 How is your beloved better than others,

most beautiful of women?w

How is your beloved better than others,

that you so charge us?

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,

outstanding among ten thousand.x

11 His head is purest gold;

his hair is wavy

and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like dovesy

by the water streams,

washed in milk,z

mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeksa are like beds of spiceb

yielding perfume.

His lips are like liliesc

dripping with myrrh.d

14 His arms are rods of gold

set with topaz.

His body is like polished ivory

decorated with lapis lazuli.e

15 His legs are pillars of marble

set on bases of pure gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,f

choice as its cedars.

16 His mouthg is sweetness itself;

he is altogether lovely.

This is my beloved,h this is my friend,

daughters of Jerusalem.i

Friends

6 Where has your belovedj gone,

most beautiful of women?k

Which way did your beloved turn,

that we may look for him with you?

She

2 My beloved has gonel down to his garden,m

to the beds of spices,n

to browse in the gardens

and to gather lilies.

3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;o

he browses among the lilies.p