¹I have come into 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 .

Eat, friends !

Drink , yes, drink abundantly , beloved .

²I was asleep , but my heart was awake .

It is the voice of my beloved who knocks:

“Open to me , my sister, my love , my dove , my undefiled ;

for my head is filled with dew ,

and my hair with the dampness of the night .”

³I have taken off my robe . Indeed, must I put it on ?

I have washed my feet . Indeed, must I soil them ?

⁴My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening .

My heart pounded for him .

⁵I rose up to open for my beloved .

My hands dripped with myrrh ,

my fingers with liquid myrrh ,

on the handles of the lock .

⁶I opened to my beloved ;

but my beloved left , and had gone away .

My heart went out when he spoke .

I looked for him , but I didn’t find him .

I called him , but he didn’t answer .

⁷The watchmen who go about the city found me .

They beat me .

They bruised me .

The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me .

⁸I adjure you , daughters of Jerusalem ,

If you find my beloved ,

that you tell him that I am faint with love .

⁹How is your beloved better than another beloved ,

you fairest amongst women?

How is your beloved better than another beloved ,

that you do so adjure us?

¹⁰My beloved is white and ruddy.

The best amongst ten thousand .

¹¹His head is like the purest gold .

His hair is bushy , black as a raven .

¹²His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks,

washed with milk , mounted like jewels .

¹³His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes.

His lips are like lilies , dropping liquid myrrh .

¹⁴His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl .

His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires .

¹⁵His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold .

His appearance is like Lebanon , excellent as the cedars.

¹⁶His mouth is sweetness ;

yes, he is altogether lovely .

This is my beloved , and this is my friend ,

daughters of Jerusalem .