1
I 1came to my garden, my 2sister, my bride, I gathered my 3myrrh with my spice, I ate my 4honeycomb with my honey, I 5drank my wine with my milk.Eat, 6friends, drink, and be drunk with love!
The Bride Searches for Her Beloved
2
I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is 7knocking. "Open to me, my 8sister, my 9love, my 10dove, my 11perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my 12locks with the drops of the night."
4
My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.
5
I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with 15liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.
6
I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he 16spoke. 17I sought him, but found him not; 18I called him, but he gave no answer.
7
19The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls.
8
I 20adjure you, O 21daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him 22I am sick with love.
9
What is your beloved more than another beloved, O 23most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus 24adjure us?
The Bride Praises Her Beloved
11
His head is the finest gold; 27his locks are wavy, black as a raven.
13
His 29cheeks are like 30beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are 31lilies, dripping 32liquid myrrh.
14
His arms are rods of gold, set with 33jewels. His body is polished ivory,b bedecked with 34sapphires.c
15
His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like 35Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)