Song of Solomon

¹ “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have picked my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

² A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is full of dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’

³ How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again?

⁴ And my feelings moaned for him.

⁵ And my hands dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock.

⁶ But my beloved had turned away and passed by! My soul went out to him as he spoke. I searched for him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

⁷ They struck me and wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

⁸ If you find my beloved, What will you tell him? Tell him that I am sick with love.”

⁹ O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved that he is more than any other beloved, That thus you call us to solemnly swear?”

¹⁰ “My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, Lifted up as a banner among ten thousand.

¹¹ His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven.

¹² Beside streams of water, Washed in milk, And sitting in their setting.

¹³ Towers of sweet‑scented herbs; His lips are lilies Dripping with liquid myrrh.

¹⁴ Set with beryl; His abdomen is a plate of ivory Inlaid with sapphires.

¹⁵ Set on bases of fine gold; His appearance is like Lebanon Choice as the cedars.

¹⁶ And he is wholly desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”