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The Bride and Her Beloved

The Bridegroom

Verse1I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; 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 Friends Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.

The Bride

Verse2I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! 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.”

Verse3I have taken off my robe— must I put it back on? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?

Verse4My beloved put his hand to the latch; my heart pounded for him.

Verse5I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.

Verse6I opened for my beloved, but he had turned and gone. My heart sank at his departure. I sought him but did not find him. I called, but he did not answer.

Verse7I encountered the watchmen on their rounds of the city. They beat me and bruised me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls.

Verse8O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you, if you find my beloved, tell him I am sick with love.

The Friends

Verse9How is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful among women? How is your beloved better than another, that you charge us so?

The Bride

Verse10My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

Verse11His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.

Verse12His eyes are like doves beside the streams of water, bathed in milk and mounted like jewels.

Verse13His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume. His lips are like lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

Verse14His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is polished ivory bedecked with sapphires.

Verse15His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

Verse16His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.