Song of Songs

The Song of Solomon, chapter 5, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 5 New English Translation

   1 (The Lover to His Beloved) I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk! (The Poet to the Couple) Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers!

The Trials of Love: The Beloved's Dream of Losing Her Lover

   2 (The Beloved about Her Lover) I was asleep, but my mind was dreaming. Listen! My lover is knocking at the door! (The Lover to His Beloved) "Open for 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 (The Beloved to Her Lover) "I have already taken off my robe - must I put it on again? I have already washed my feet - must I soil them again?"
   4 My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him.
   5 I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh - my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock.
   6 I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.
   7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls!

The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her Lover

   8 (The Beloved to the Maidens) O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you - If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!
   9 (The Maidens to The Beloved) Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women? Why is your beloved better than others, that you would command us in this manner?
   10 (The Beloved to the Maidens) My beloved is dazzling and ruddy; he stands out in comparison to all other men.
   11 His head is like the most pure gold. His hair is curly - black like a raven.
   12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
   13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.
   14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite. His abdomen is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires.
   15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.
   16 His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!

King James Version

   1 I 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.
   2 ¶ I 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.
   3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
   4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
   5 I 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.
   6 I 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.
   7 The 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.
   8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
   9 ¶ 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 charge us?
   10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
   11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
   12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
   13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
   14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
   15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
   16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.