I have entered my garden.
I have gathered my myrrh[50] and spice.
I have eaten my honey and honeycomb.
I have drunk my wine and milk.
Dearest friends, eat, drink!
Be drunk with love!
<2> I am asleep,
but my heart is awake.
I hear my lover knocking, saying;
"Open to me, my darling, my love,
my dove, my perfect one!
My head is soaked with dew.
My hair is wet with the mist of the night."
<3> "I have taken off my robe.[51]
I don't want to put it on again.
I have washed my feet,
I don't want to get them dirty again."
<4> But my lover put his hand
through the opening,[52]
and I felt sorry for him.[53]
<5> I got up to open for my lover,
myrrh[54] dripping from my hands,
myrrh scented lotion dripped from my fingers onto the handles of the lock.
<6> I opened for my lover,
but my lover had turned away and was gone!
I nearly died
when he came and went.[55]
I looked for him,
but I couldn't find him;
I called for him,
but he didn't answer me.
<7> The guards patrolling the city found me.
They hit me.
They hurt me.
The guards on the wall
took my robe from me.
<8> I tell you, women of Jerusalem,
if you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love.[56]
<9> Beautiful woman, how is your lover different from other lovers?
Is your lover better than other lovers?
Is that why you ask us to make this promise?
<10> My lover is tanned and radiant.
He would stand out among 10,000 men.
<11> His head is like the purest gold.
His hair is curly and as black as a raven.
<12> His eyes are like doves by a stream,
like doves in a pool of milk, like a jewel in its setting.
<13> His cheeks are like a garden of spices,
like flowers used for perfume.
His lips are like lilies,[57]
dripping with liquid myrrh.[58]
<14> His arms are like gold rods,
filled with jewels.
His body is like smooth ivory
with sapphires[59] set in it.
<15> His legs are like marble pillars
on bases of fine gold.
He stands tall
like the finest cedar tree in Lebanon!
<16> Yes, women of Jerusalem,
my lover is the most desirable.
His mouth is the sweetest of all.
This is my lover;
this is my darling.
© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.