THE Beloved

¹ I have come to 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.

THE Shulamite

² I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
He knocks, saying,

“ Open for me, my sister, my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My locks with the drops of the night.”
³ I have taken off my robe;
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet;
How can I defile them?
⁴ My beloved put his hand
By the latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
⁵ I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.
⁶ I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart leaped up when he spoke.
I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
⁷ The watchmen who went about the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls
Took my veil away from me.
⁸ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
That you tell him I am lovesick!

THE Daughters of Jerusalem

⁹ What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
O fairest among women?
What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
That you so charge us?

THE Shulamite

¹⁰ My beloved is white and ruddy,
Chief among ten thousand.
¹¹ His head is like the finest gold;
His locks are wavy,
And black as a raven.
¹² His eyes are like doves
By the rivers of waters,
Washed with milk,
And fitly set.
¹³ His cheeks are like a bed of spices,
Banks of scented herbs.
His lips are lilies,
Dripping liquid myrrh.
¹⁴ His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl.
His body is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
¹⁵ His legs are pillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold.
His countenance is like Lebanon,
Excellent as the cedars.
¹⁶ His mouth is most sweet,
Yes, he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved,
And this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem!