[1]I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I gathered my myrrh with my spice: I ate mine honeycomb with mine honey, I drank my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, drink, and make you merry, O well beloved.
[2]I sleep, but mine heart waketh, it is the voice of my well-beloved that knocketh, saying, Open unto me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for mine head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
[3]I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
[4]My well-beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and mine heart was affectioned toward him.
[5]I rose up to open to my well-beloved, and mine hands did drop down myrrh, and my fingers pure myrrh upon the handles of the bar.
[6]I opened to my well-beloved: but my well-beloved was gone, and past: mine heart was gone when he did speak: I sought him, but I could not find him: I called him, but he answered me not.
[7]The watchmen that went about the city found me: they smote me and wounded me: the watchmen of the walls took away my veil from me.
[8]I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my well-beloved, that you tell him that I am sick of love.
[9]O the fairest among women, what is thy well-beloved more than other wellbeloved? What is thy well-beloved more than another lover, that thou dost so charge us?
[10]My well-beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand.
[11]His head is as fine gold, his locks curled, and black as a raven.
[12]His eyes are like doves upon the rivers of waters, which are washed with milk, and remain by the full vessels.
[13]His cheeks are as a bed of spices, and as sweet flowers, and his lips like lilies dropping down pure myrrh.
[14]His hands as rings of gold set with the chrysolite, his belly like white ivory covered with sapphires.
[15]His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
[16]His mouth is as sweet things, and he is wholly delectable: this is my wellbeloved, and this is my lover, O daughters of Jerusalem.
[17]O the fairest among women, whither is thy well-beloved gone? Whither is thy well-beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with thee?
|