Song of Songs 4:12-5:1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The Lover’s Garden
12 M(A) A garden enclosed, my sister, my bride,
a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed![a]
13 Your branches are a grove of pomegranates,
with fruits of choicest yield:
Henna with spikenard,
14 spikenard and saffron,
Sweet cane and cinnamon,
with all kinds of frankincense;
Myrrh and aloes,
with all the finest spices;[b]
15 A garden fountain, a well of living water,
streams flowing from Lebanon.
16 Awake,[c] north wind!
Come, south wind!
Blow upon my garden
that its perfumes may spread abroad.
W Let my lover come to his garden
and eat its fruits of choicest yield.
Chapter 5
1 M(B) I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride;
I gather my myrrh with my spices,
I eat my honeycomb with my honey,
I drink my wine with my milk.
D? Eat, friends; drink!
Drink deeply, lovers![d]
Footnotes
- 4:12 Garden enclosed…fountain sealed: reserved for the lover alone. Cf. Prv 5:15–19 for similar images used to describe fruitful, committed relationship.
- 4:14 These plants are all known for their sweet fragrance.
- 4:16 Awake: the same verb is used of love in 3:5. The woman may be the speaker of 16a, as it is she who issues the invitation of 16b. His garden: the woman herself.
- 5:1 Eat…lovers: the translation and meaning are uncertain.
Song of Songs 7:13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 (A)Let us go early to the vineyards, and see
if the vines are in bloom,
If the buds have opened,
if the pomegranates have blossomed;
There will I give you my love.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.