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5 The king says,

“My bride, I have come into my garden.

My sister, I’ve gathered my myrrh and my spice.

I’ve eaten my honeycomb and my honey.

I’ve drunk my wine and my milk.”

The other women say to the Shulammite woman and to Solomon,

“Friends, eat and drink.

Lovers, drink all you want.”

The woman says,

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.

7 Those on guard duty found me

as they were walking around in the city.

They beat me. They hurt me.

Those on guard duty at the walls

took my coat away from me.

8 Women of Jerusalem, take an oath and make me a promise.

If you find the one who loves me,

tell him our love has made me weak.”

The other women say,

9 “You are the most beautiful woman of all.

How is the one you love better than others?

How is he better than anyone else?

Why do you ask us to make you a promise?”

The woman says,

10 “The one who loves me is tanned and handsome.

He’s the finest man among 10,000.

11 His head is like the purest gold.

His hair is wavy and as black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves

by streams of water.

They look as if they’ve been washed in milk.

They are set like jewels in his head.

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice

that give off perfume.

His lips are like lilies

that drip with myrrh.

14 His arms are like gold

that are set with chrysolite.

His body is like polished ivory

that is decorated with sapphires.

15 His legs are like pillars of marble

that are set on bases of pure gold.

He looks like the finest cedar tree

in the mountains of Lebanon.

16 His mouth is very sweet.

Everything about him is delightful.

That’s what the one who loves me is like.

That’s what my friend is like, women of Jerusalem.”

NIrV

About New International Reader’s Version (1998)

The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) was developed to help early readers understand the Bible. Begun in 1992, the NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV). The NIrV uses shorter words and sentences so that those with a typical fourth grade reading level can comprehend what they are reading. The chapters have been separated into shorter sections and most have titles that clearly indicate what the section is all about. The NIrV will be a valuable translation to those for whom English is a second language. The NIrV still relies on the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for its translation, guaranteeing that those who read it are getting the actual Word of God.

Copyright

Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society.

All rights reserved.

The NIrV text may be quoted for non-commercial usage in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted.

Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows:

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

When quotations from the NIrV text are used in non-saleable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, transparencies or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials (NIrV) must appear at the end of each quotation.

Any commentary or other Biblical reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New International Reader’s Version must obtain written permission for use of the NIrV text.

Permission requests for commercial use within the U.S. and Canada that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530.

Permission requests for commercial use within the U.K., EEC, and EFTA countries that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Hodder Headline Plc., 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, England.

Permission requests for non-commercial usage that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921.

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