NET Bible

The Wedding Night: The Delightful Garden

^5:1 I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk!

^5:1 The Poet to the Couple:

^5:1 Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers!

The Trials of Love: The Beloved’s Dream of Losing Her Lover

^5:1 The Beloved about Her Lover:

^5:2 I was asleep, but my mind was dreaming. Listen! My lover is knocking at the door!

^5:2 The Lover to His Beloved:

^5:2 “Open for me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one! My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

^5:2 The Beloved to Her Lover:

^5:3 “I have already taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have already washed my feet—must I soil them again?” ^5:4 My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him. ^5:5 I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh— my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock. ^5:6 I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me. ^5:7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me; they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls!

The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her Lover

^5:7 The Beloved to the Maidens:

^5:8 I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem— If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!

^5:8 The Maidens to the Beloved:

^5:9 Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women? Why is your beloved better than others, that you would admonish us in this manner?

^5:9 The Beloved to the Maidens:

^5:10 My beloved is dazzling and ruddy; he stands out in comparison to all other men. ^5:11 His head is like the purest gold. His hair is curly —black like a raven. ^5:12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water, washed in milk, mounted like jewels. ^5:13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh. ^5:14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite. His abdomen is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires. ^5:15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. ^5:16 His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!

The Lost Lover Found

^5:16 The Maidens to the Beloved: