1 Ihave come to my garden, mysister,myspouse;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;
# I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk.
# Eat, Ofriends!
Drink, yes, drink deeply,
O beloved ones!
The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening
2 I sleep, but my heart is awake;
Itisthe 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 onagain?
I have washed my feet;
How can I defile them?
4 My beloved put his hand
By the latchofthedoor,
And my heart yearned for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands drippedwithmyrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.
6 I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned awayandwas 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 Iamlovesick!
9 Whatisyour beloved
More thananotherbeloved,
# O fairest among women?
Whatisyour beloved
More thananotherbeloved,
That you so charge us?
10 My belovediswhite and ruddy,
Chief among ten thousand.
11 His headislikethe finest gold;
His locksarewavy,
Andblack as a raven.
12 His eyesarelike doves
By the rivers of waters,
Washed with milk,
Andfitly set.
13 His cheeksarelike a bed of spices,
Banks of scented herbs.
His lipsarelilies,
Dripping liquid myrrh.
14 His handsarerods of gold
Set with beryl.
His bodyiscarved ivory
Inlaidwithsapphires.
15 His legsarepillars of marble
Set on bases of fine gold.
His countenanceislike Lebanon,
Excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouthismost sweet,
Yes, heisaltogether lovely.
Thisismy beloved,
And thisismy friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem!