1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Friends
Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.
2 I slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.”
must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet —
must I soil them again?
my heart began to pound for him.
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.a
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me;
they took away my cloak,
those watchmen of the walls!
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.
9 How is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.