| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love! | 1I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk! The Poet to the Couple: Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers! |
| 2I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! 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.” | 2I was asleep, but my mind was dreaming. Listen! My lover is knocking at the door! The Lover to His Beloved: "Open for me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one! My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night." |
| 3I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? | 3"I have already taken off my robe--must I put it on again? I have already washed my feet--must I soil them again?" |
| 4My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. | 4My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him. |
| 5I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. | 5I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh--my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock. |
| 6I 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. | 6I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me. |
| 7The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls. | 7The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls! |
| 8I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. | 8O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you--If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick! |
| 9What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? | 9Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women? Why is your beloved better than others, that you would command us in this manner? |
| 10My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. | 10My beloved is dazzling and ruddy; he stands out in comparison to all other men. |
| 11His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. | 11His head is like the most pure gold. His hair is curly--black like a raven. |
| 12His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. | 12His eyes are like doves by streams of water, washed in milk, mounted like jewels. |
| 13His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. | 13His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh. |
| 14His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires. | 14His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite. His abdomen is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires. |
| 15His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. | 15His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. |
| 16His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. | 16His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem! |
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