Song of Songs 5

I Sleep, but My Heart Is Awake — and He Knocks

← Song of Songs 4  ·  Song of Songs: all chapters  ·  Song of Songs 6 →

5:1I entered my garden, my sister, bride; I gathered my myrrh with my spices. I ate my bread with my honey; I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, companions, and drink and become drunk, brothers!

5:2I sleep, but my heart keeps watch. The voice of my kinsman—he knocks upon the door! Open to me, my sister, my companion, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is filled with dew and my curls with the drops of night.

5:3I took off my tunic; how could I put it on? I washed my feet; how could I soil them?

5:4My kinsman extended his hand from the opening, and my belly was stirred for him.

5:5I rose to open to my kinsman; my hands dripped myrrh, my fingers rich myrrh, upon the handles of the bolt.

5:6I opened to my kinsman; my kinsman had gone. My soul went out at his word. I sought him but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

5:7The guards going around the city found me; they struck me, they wounded me. The guards of the walls took my light covering from me.

5:8I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the strengths of the field: if you find my kinsman, what will you tell him? That I am wounded by love.

5:9What is your kinsman more than another kinsman, beautiful among women? What is your kinsman more than another kinsman, that you have adjured us this way?

5:10My kinsman is white and ruddy, selected from myriads.

5:11His head is gold and phaz; his curls are fir trees, black as a raven,

5:12his eyes are like doves beside full waters, bathed in milk, seated beside full waters,

5:13his cheeks are like bowls of spice growing fragrant substances; his lips are lilies dripping rich myrrh,

5:14his hands are sculpted gold filled with tharsis; his belly is an ivory tablet upon sapphire stone,

5:15his legs are marble pillars founded upon golden bases; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as cedars,

5:16his throat is sweetness, and all of him is desire. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, daughters of Jerusalem.

← Song of Songs 4  ·  Song of Songs: all chapters  ·  Song of Songs 6 →

Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.