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I have entered my garden,
    my sweetheart, my bride.
I am gathering my spices and myrrh;
    I am eating my honey and honeycomb;
    I am drinking my wine and milk.

The Women

Eat, lovers, and drink
    until you are drunk with love!

The Fourth Song

The Woman

While I slept, my heart was awake.
I dreamed my lover knocked at the door.

The Man

Let me come in, my darling,
    my sweetheart, my dove.
My head is wet with dew,
    and my hair is damp from the mist.

The Woman

I have already undressed;
    why should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet;
    why should I get them dirty again?

My lover put his hand to the door,
    and I was thrilled that he was near.
    I was ready to let him come in.
My hands were covered with myrrh,
    my fingers with liquid myrrh,
    as I grasped the handle of the door.
I opened the door for my lover,
    but he had already gone.
How I wanted to hear his voice!
I looked for him, but couldn't find him;
    I called to him, but heard no answer.

The sentries patrolling the city found me;
    they struck me and bruised me;
    the guards at the city wall tore off my cape.
Promise me, women of Jerusalem,
    that if you find my lover,
    you will tell him I am weak from passion.

The Women

Most beautiful of women,
    is your lover different from everyone else?
What is there so wonderful about him
    that we should give you our promise?

The Woman

10 My lover is handsome and strong;
    he is one in ten thousand.
11 His face is bronzed and smooth;
    his hair is wavy,
    black as a raven.
12 His eyes are as beautiful as doves by a flowing brook,
    doves washed in milk and standing by the stream.[a]
13 His cheeks are as lovely as a garden
    that is full of herbs and spices.
His lips are like lilies,
    wet with liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are well-formed,
    and he wears rings set with gems.
His body is like smooth ivory,[b]
    with sapphires set in it.
15 His thighs are columns of alabaster
    set in sockets of gold.
He is majestic, like the Lebanon Mountains
    with their towering cedars.
16 His mouth is sweet to kiss;
    everything about him enchants me.
This is what my lover is like,
    women of Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:12 and standing by the stream; Hebrew unclear.
  2. Song of Solomon 5:14 like smooth ivory; Hebrew unclear.

He

I have come into my garden,(A) my sister, my bride;(B)
    I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
    I have drunk my wine and my milk.(C)

Friends

Eat, friends, and drink;
    drink your fill of love.

She

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,(D) my flawless(E) one.(F)
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,(G)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
I opened for my beloved,(H)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.(I)
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked(J) for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.
The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(K)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you(L)
    if you find my beloved,(M)
what will you tell him?
    Tell him I am faint with love.(N)

Friends

How is your beloved better than others,
    most beautiful of women?(O)
How is your beloved better than others,
    that you so charge us?

She

10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
    outstanding among ten thousand.(P)
11 His head is purest gold;
    his hair is wavy
    and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves(Q)
    by the water streams,
washed in milk,(R)
    mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks(S) are like beds of spice(T)
    yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies(U)
    dripping with myrrh.(V)
14 His arms are rods of gold
    set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
    decorated with lapis lazuli.(W)
15 His legs are pillars of marble
    set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,(X)
    choice as its cedars.
16 His mouth(Y) is sweetness itself;
    he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,(Z) this is my friend,
    daughters of Jerusalem.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke