Solomon
1I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
2I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
3I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
4My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
5I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
6I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
8I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
The Friends
9What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
Admiration by the Bride
10My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
11His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
12His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
13His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
14His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
15His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Bride and Her Beloved
1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.
2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”
3 I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
4 My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.
5 I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved left; and had gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I didn’t find him. I called him, but he didn’t answer.
7 The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.
8 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.
9 How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?
10 My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.
11 His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
14 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
The Bride and Her Beloved
The Bridegroom
1 I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.
The Friends
Eat, O friends, and drink;
drink freely, O beloved.
The Bride
2 I sleep, but my heart is awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
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 back on?
I have washed my feet—
must I soil them again?
4 My beloved put his hand to the latch;
my heart pounded for him.
5 I rose up to open for my beloved.
My hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh
on the handles of the bolt.
6 I opened for my beloved,
but he had turned and gone.
My heart sank at his departure.
I sought him, but did not find him.
I called, but he did not answer.
7 I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city.
They beat me and bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those guardians of the walls.
8 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you,
if you find my beloved,
tell him I am sick with love.
The Friends
9 How is your beloved better than others,
O most beautiful among women?
How is your beloved better than another,
that you charge us so?
The Bride
10 My beloved is dazzling and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves
beside the streams of water,
bathed in milk
and mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice,
towers of perfume.
His lips are like lilies,
dripping with flowing myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold
set with beryl.
His body is an ivory panel
bedecked with sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
as majestic as the cedars.
16 His mouth a is most sweet;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.
Footnotes:
16 a Hebrew palate
Solomon
1I have come in to my garden, my sister-spouse, I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, drink, Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!
The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
2I am sleeping, but my heart waketh: The sound of my beloved knocking! 'Open to me, my sister, my friend, My dove, my perfect one, For my head is filled with dew, My locks with drops of the night.'
3I have put off my coat, how do I put it on? I have washed my feet, how do I defile them?
4My beloved sent his hand from the net-work, And my bowels were moved for him.
5I rose to open to my beloved, And my hands dropped myrrh, Yea, my fingers flowing myrrh, On the handles of the lock.
6I opened to my beloved, But my beloved withdrew -- he passed on, My soul went forth when he spake, I sought him, and found him not. I called him, and he answered me not.
7The watchmen who go round about the city, Found me, smote me, wounded me, Keepers of the walls lifted up my veil from off me.
8I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved -- What do ye tell him? that I am sick with love!
The Friends
9What is thy beloved above any beloved, O fair among women? What is thy beloved above any beloved, That thus thou hast adjured us?
Admiration by the Bride
10My beloved is clear and ruddy, Conspicuous above a myriad!
11His head is pure gold -- fine gold, His locks flowing, dark as a raven,
12His eyes as doves by streams of water, Washing in milk, sitting in fulness.
13His cheeks as a bed of the spice, towers of perfumes, His lips are lilies, dropping flowing myrrh,
14His hands rings of gold, set with beryl, His heart bright ivory, covered with sapphires,
15His limbs pillars of marble, Founded on sockets of fine gold, His appearance as Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
16His mouth is sweetness -- and all of him desirable, This is my beloved, and this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!
