English · Geneva

Song of Solomon5

The chapter opens with the beloved inviting his spouse to partake of his garden's delights. The spouse then recounts a dream-like experience where she hesitates to open the door for her beloved, who subsequently departs. She suffers for her delay, is mistreated by watchmen, and then passionately describes her beloved's unparalleled beauty to the daughters of Jerusalem.

The King's Invitation to Intimacy

1
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I gathered my myrrhe with my spice: I ate mine hony combe with mine hony, I dranke my wine with my milke: eate, O friends, drinke, and make you merie, O welbeloued.

The Beloved's Hesitation and Regret

2
I sleepe, but mine heart waketh, it is the voyce of my welbeloued that knocketh, saying, Open vnto mee, my sister, my loue, my doue, my vndefiled: for mine head is full of dewe, and my lockes with the droppes of the night.
3
I haue put off my coate, howe shall I put it on? I haue washed my feete, howe shall I defile them?
4
My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore, and mine heart was affectioned toward him.
5
I rose vp to open to my welbeloued, and mine hands did drop downe myrrhe, and my fingers pure myrrhe vpon the handels of the barre.
6
I opened to my welbeloued: but my welbeloued was gone, and past: mine heart was gone when hee did speake: I sought him, but I coulde not finde him: I called him, but hee answered mee not.
7
The watchmen that went about the citie, founde me: they smote me and wounded me: the watchmen of the walles tooke away my vaile from me.
8
I charge you, O daughters of Ierusalem, if you finde my welbeloued, that you tell him that I am sicke of loue.

The Daughters' Inquiry and the Beloved's Praise

9
O the fairest among women, what is thy welbeloued more then other welbeloued? what is thy welbeloued more then another louer, that thou doest so charge vs?
10
My welbeloued is white and ruddie, the chiefest of ten thousand.
11
His head is as fine golde, his lockes curled, and blacke as a rauen.
12
His eyes are like doues vpon the riuers of waters, which are washt with milke, and remaine by the full vessels.
13
His cheekes are as a bedde of spices, and as sweete flowres, and his lippes like lilies dropping downe pure myrrhe.
14
His hands as rings of gold set with the chrysolite, his belly like white yuorie couered with saphirs.
15
His legges are as pillars of marble, set vpon sockets of fine golde: his countenance as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

The Summation of Love

16
His mouth is as sweete thinges, and hee is wholy delectable: this is my welbeloued, and this is my louer, O daughters of Ierusalem. O the fairest among women, whither is thy welbeloued gone? whither is thy welbeloued turned aside, that we may seeke him with thee?
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