Chapter 5

I am come¹ into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered¹ my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten¹ my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk¹ my wine with my milk: eat,³ O friends; drink,³ yea, drink abundantly,³ O beloved.

I sleep, but my heart waketh:⁶ [it is] the voice of my beloved that knocketh,⁶ [saying], Open³ to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled⁸ with dew, [and] my locks with the drops of the night.

I have put off¹ my coat; how shall I put it on?⁴ I have washed¹ my feet; how shall I defile¹⁷ them?

My beloved put in¹ his hand by the hole [of the door], and my bowels were moved¹ for him.

I rose up¹ to open² to my beloved; and my hands dropped¹ [with] myrrh, and my fingers [with] sweet smelling⁶ myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

I opened¹ to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn¹ himself, [and] was gone:¹ my soul failed¹ when he spake:¹⁵ I sought¹⁴ him, but I could not find¹ him; I called¹ him, but he gave me no answer.¹

The watchmen⁶ that went about⁶ the city found¹ me, they smote⁵² me, they wounded¹ me; the keepers⁶ of the walls took away¹ my veil from me.

I charge⁵² you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find⁴ my beloved, that ye tell⁵⁵ him, that I [am] sick⁶ of love.

What [is] thy beloved more than [another] beloved, O thou fairest among women? what [is] thy beloved more than [another] beloved, that thou dost so charge⁵² us?

My beloved [is] white and ruddy, the chiefest⁷ among ten thousand.

His head [is as] the most fine gold, his locks [are] bushy, [and] black as a raven.

His eyes [are] as [the eyes] of doves by the rivers of waters, washed⁵ with milk, [and] fitly set.⁶

His cheeks [are] as a bed of spices, [as] sweet flowers: his lips [like] lilies, dropping⁶ sweet smelling⁶ myrrh.

His hands [are as] gold rings set³⁰ with the beryl: his belly [is as] bright ivory overlaid³⁰ [with] sapphires.

His legs [are as] pillars of marble, set³⁰ upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance [is] as Lebanon, excellent⁷ as the cedars.

His mouth [is] most sweet: yea, he [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my beloved, and this [is] my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.