Song of Solomon 5 | New International Version

New International Version

1 He 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. She 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.’ 3 I have taken off my robe – must I put it on again? I have washed my feet – must I soil them again? 4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him. 5 I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. 6 I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure.^[1] I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer. 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 of the walls! 8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you – if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love. Friends 9 How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us? She 10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand. 11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels. 13 His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh. 14 His arms are rods of gold set with topaz. His body is like polished ivory decorated with lapis lazuli. 15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. 16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

English Standard Version

1 He: I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk. Others: Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love! (Pr 9:5; So 4:9; So 4:11; So 4:12; So 4:14; So 4:16; So 5:5; So 5:13; So 6:2; Joh 15:14)

Pr 9:5So 4:9So 4:11So 4:12So 4:14So 4:16So 5:5So 5:13So 6:2Joh 15:14

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

2 She: I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” (So 1:15; So 2:14; So 4:7; So 4:9; So 4:12; So 5:11; So 6:9; Re 3:20)

So 1:15So 2:14So 4:7So 4:9So 4:12So 5:11So 6:9Re 3:20

3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? (Ge 18:4; Lu 11:7) 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. (So 5:13) 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. (Pr 1:28; So 3:1; So 5:2) 7 The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls. (So 3:3) 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. (So 1:5; So 2:5; So 2:7)

So 1:5So 2:5So 2:7

9 Others: What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? (So 1:8; So 5:8; So 6:1)

So 1:8So 5:8So 6:1

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

10 She: My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. (1Sa 16:12; Ps 45:2) 11 His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. (So 5:2) 12 His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool.^[1] (So 1:15; So 4:1) 13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. (So 1:10; So 2:1; So 5:5; So 6:2)

So 1:10So 2:1So 5:5So 6:2

14 His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory,^[2] bedecked with sapphires.^[3] (Ex 24:10; Ex 28:20; Ex 39:13; Eze 1:16; Eze 1:26; Eze 10:1)

Ex 24:10Ex 28:20Ex 39:13Eze 1:16Eze 1:26Eze 10:1

15 His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. (1Ki 4:33) 16 His mouth^[4] is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. (So 5:8; So 7:9)