Song of Solomon 5

1I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; 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, friends; drink, and drink deeply, you lovers!

2I was asleep, but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is drenched with dew, my hair with the drops of the night.”

3I have taken off my robe; how can I put it back on? I have washed my feet; how can I get them dirty?

4My beloved put his hand through the opening, and my heart stirred for him.

5I rose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.

6I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

7The watchmen found me as they went around the city; they struck me, they wounded me; they took my shawl away from me, those watchmen of the walls.

8I make you swear, daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved—what will you tell him? That I am sick with love.

9How is your beloved better than any other beloved, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than any other, that you make us swear like this?

10My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

11His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven.

12His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, set like jewels.

13His cheeks are like beds of spices, towers of perfume. His lips are lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.

14His arms are rods of gold set with beryl; his body is polished ivory covered with sapphires.

15His legs are pillars of alabaster, set on bases of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.

16His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.