[1] I come to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gather my myrrh with my
spice, I eat my honeycomb with my honey, I drink my wine with my milk. Eat,
O friends, and drink: drink deeply, O lovers! [2] I slept, but my heart was
awake. Hark! 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." [3] I had put off my garment, how could I put it on? I had
bathed my feet, how could I soil them? [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,
upon the handles of the bolt. [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. [7] The watchmen found
me, as they went about in the city; they beat me, they wounded me, they
took away my mantle, those watchmen of the walls. [8] I adjure you, O
daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick
with love. [9] What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest
among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus
adjure us? [10] My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among
ten thousand. [11] His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black
as a raven. [12] His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, bathed in
milk, fitly set. [13] His cheeks are like beds of spices, yielding
fragrance. His lips are lilies, distilling liquid myrrh. [14] His arms are
rounded gold, set with jewels. His body is ivory work, encrusted with
sapphires. [15] His legs are alabaster columns, set upon bases of gold. His
appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. [16] His speech is most
sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my
friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.