The Young Woman Dreams Of Marriage With Her Husband
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.
1 “(a)I have (A)come into my garden, (B)my sister, my bride;I have gathered my (C)myrrh along with my balsam.I have eaten my honeycomb (b)and my (D)honey;I have (E)drunk my wine (c)and my milk.Eat, (F)friends;Drink and (d)imbibe deeply, O lovers.”
1 M I have come to my garden—my sister, my bride.I gather(a) my myrrh with my spices.I eat my honeycomb with my honey.I drink my wine with my milk.N Eat, friends!Drink, be intoxicated with love!(b)(A)
1 I've come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I've gathered my myrrh with my spices. I've eaten my honeycomb with my honey. I've drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink and become drunk with love.
Maiden's Dream: Seeking And Not Finding
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.
2 “(e)I was asleep but my heart was awake.A voice! My beloved was knocking:‘Open to me, (G)my sister, my darling,(H)My dove, my perfect one!For my head is (f)drenched with dew,My (I)locks with the (g)damp of the night.’
2 W I sleep, but my heart is awake.A sound! My love is knocking!(B)M Open to me, my sister, my darling,my dove, my perfect one.For my head is drenched with dew,my hair with droplets of the night.
2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake. There's a sound! My beloved is knocking. "Open up for me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. For my head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness 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?
3 “I have (J)taken off my dress,How can I put it on again?I have (K)washed my feet,How can I dirty them again?
3 W I have taken off my clothing.(C)How can I put it back on?I have washed my feet.How can I get them dirty?
3 "I've taken off my clothes am I supposed to put them on again? I've washed my feet am I supposed to get them dirty again?"
4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
4 My love thrust his hand through the opening,and my feelings were stirred for him.
4 My beloved reached out his hand for the latch. My feelings for him were aroused.
4 “My beloved extended his hand through the opening [of the door],And my feelings were aroused 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.
5 “I arose to open to my beloved;And my hands (M)dripped with myrrh,And my fingers with (i)liquid myrrh,On the handles of the bolt.
5 I rose to open for my love.My hands dripped with myrrh,(D)my fingers with flowing myrrhon the handles of the bolt.
5 I got up to open the door, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handle of the lock.
5 “I arose to open for my beloved;And my hands dripped with myrrh,And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh,On the handles of the bolt.
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.
6 “I opened to my beloved,But my beloved had (N)turned away and had gone!My (j)heart went out to him as he (O)spoke.I (P)searched for him but I did not find him;I (Q)called him but he did not answer me.
6 I opened to my love,but my love had turned and gone away.I was crushed(c) that he had left.(d)I sought him, but did not find him.(E)I called him, but he did not answer.
6 I opened the door for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away; he was gone! My very life went out when he departed. I searched for him, but couldn't find him. I called out to him, but he didn't answer.
6 “I opened for my beloved,But my beloved had turned away and was gone.My heart went out to him when he spoke.I searched for him, but I could not find him;I called him, but he did not answer me.
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.
7 “The (R)watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,They struck me and wounded me;The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.
7 The guards who go about the city found me.(F)They beat and wounded me;they took my cloak(e) from me—the guardians of the walls.(G)
7 The watchmen making their rounds through the city found me. They beat me, they bruised me. Those guarding the walls took my cloak from me.
7 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me.They struck me, they wounded me;The guardsmen of the walls took my shawl from me.
Adjuration Refrain
8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
8 “I (S)adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,If you find my beloved,As to what you will tell him:For (T)I am lovesick.”
8 I charge you, young women of Jerusalem, "If you find my beloved, what are you to tell him? Tell him that I'm weak with love."
Maiden's Praise Of Her Beloved
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?
9 “(k)(l)What kind of beloved is your beloved,O (U)most beautiful among women?(m)What kind of beloved is your beloved,That thus you adjure us?”
9 Y What makes the one you love better than another,most beautiful of women?(J)What makes him better than another,that you would give us this charge?
9 What is so special about your beloved, most beautiful of women? What is so special about your beloved, that you charge us like this?
The Woman Answers The Friends
12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
12 “His (Y)eyes are like dovesBeside streams of water,Bathed in milk,And (p)reposed in their (Z)setting.
12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water, bathed in milk, mounted like jewels.
12 “His eyes are like dovesBeside streams of water,Bathed in milkAnd reposed in their setting.
13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
13 “His cheeks are like a (AA)bed of balsam,Banks of sweet-scented herbs;His lips are (AB)lilies(AC)Dripping with liquid myrrh.
13 His cheeks(O) are like beds of spice,towers of(i) perfume.His lips are lilies,dripping with flowing myrrh.(P)
13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, like towers of perfume. His lips are lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.
13 “His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,Banks of sweet, fragrant herbs.His lips are liliesDripping sweet-scented myrrh.
14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
14 “His hands are rods of goldSet with (AD)beryl;His abdomen is carved ivoryInlaid with (q)(AE)sapphires.
14 His arms(j) are rods of goldset(k) with topaz.(l)(Q)His body(m) is an ivory panelcovered with sapphires.(R)
14 His hands are rods of gold, set with beryl. His stomach is carved ivory, inlaid with sapphires.
14 “His hands are rods of goldSet with beryl;His abdomen is a figure of carved ivoryInlaid 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.
15 “His legs are pillars of alabasterSet on pedestals of pure gold;His appearance is like (AF)LebanonChoice as the (AG)cedars.
15 His legs are alabaster pillarsset on pedestals of pure gold.His presence is like Lebanon,(S)as majestic as the cedars.(T)
15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice like its cedars.
15 “His legs are [strong and steady] pillars of alabasterSet upon pedestals of fine gold.His appearance is like Lebanon,Stately and choice 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.
16 “His (r)(AH)mouth is full of sweetness.And he is wholly (AI)desirable.This is my beloved and this is my friend,O daughters of Jerusalem.”
16 His mouth is sweetness.He is absolutely desirable.(U)This is my love, and this is my friend,young women of Jerusalem. >
16 His mouth is sweetness, and all of him is desirable. This is my beloved, this is my friend, young women of Jerusalem!
16 “His mouth is full of sweetness;Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.This is my beloved and this is my friend,O daughters of Jerusalem.”(G) Cross references: Song of Solomon 5:1 : John 16:33 Song of Solomon 5:2 : Job 11:13-15 Song of Solomon 5:3 : Is 32:9; Heb 3:15 Song of Solomon 5:8 : Ps 63:1 Song of Solomon 5:9 : John 10:26 Song of Solomon 5:10 : Ps 45:2; John 1:14 Song of Solomon 5:16 : Ps 92:15; Col 1:15 end of crossrefs