The king says
1“My bride, I have come into my garden.
My sister, I’ve gathered my myrrh and my spice.
I’ve eaten my honeycomb and my honey.
I’ve drunk my wine and my milk.”
The other women say to the Shulammite woman and to Solomon
“Friends, eat and drink.
Drink up all the love you want.”
The woman says
2“I slept, but my heart was awake.
Listen! The one who loves me is knocking.
He says, ‘My sister, I love you.
Open up so I can come in.
You are my dove.
You are perfect in every way.
My head is soaked with dew.
The night air has made my hair wet.’
3“But I’ve taken off my robe.
Must I put it on again?
I’ve washed my feet.
Must I get them dirty again?
4My love put his hand through the opening.
My heart began to pound for him.
5I got up to open the door for my love.
My hands dripped with myrrh.
It flowed from my fingers
onto the handles of the lock.
6I opened the door for my love.
But he had left and was gone.
My heart sank because he had left.
I looked for him but didn’t find him.
I called out to him, but he didn’t answer.
7Those on guard duty found me
as they were walking around in the city.
They beat me. They hurt me.
Those on guard duty at the walls
took my coat away from me.
8Women of Jerusalem, make me a promise.
If you find the one who loves me,
tell him our love has made me weak.”
The other women say
9“You are the most beautiful woman of all.
How is the one you love better than others?
How is he better than anyone else?
Why do you ask us to make you this promise?”
The woman says
10“The one who loves me is tanned and handsome.
He’s the finest man among 10,000.
11His head is like the purest gold.
His hair is wavy and as black as a raven.
12His eyes are like doves
by streams of water.
They look as if they’ve been washed in milk.
They are set like jewels in his head.
13His cheeks are like beds of spice
giving off perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.
14His arms are like rods of gold
set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli.
15His legs are like pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
He looks like the finest cedar tree
in the mountains of Lebanon.
16His mouth is very sweet.
Everything about him is delightful.
That’s what the one who loves me is like.
That’s what my friend is like, women of Jerusalem.”
