1I have come to my garden, my sister bride; I have come to my garden. I have picked my myrrh with my sweet spices. I ate my sweetness with my honey. I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, my friends, and drink and be drunk, my beloved

2I was sleeping and my heart was awake. The voice of my love who was knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my intimate, my innocent dove, for my head is filled with dew and my curls from drops of the night

3I took off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I get them dirty?

4My beloved reached his hand from the opening and my bowels stirred for him

5I stood that I would open to my beloved, and my hand dripped myrrh and my fingers dripped myrrh on the handle of the bolt

6I opened to my beloved and my beloved had declined, he passed on; my soul went out at his speaking. I searched for him and I did not find him; I called him and he did not answer me

7The guards who walk around in the city found me; they struck me and they beat me; the keepers of the wall took my bridal veil from me

8I charge you daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him that I am sick with love

9Who is your beloved more than a beloved, beautiful among women? Who is your beloved more than a beloved, beautiful among women? Who is your beloved more than a beloved, that thus you have charged us?

10My beloved is white and blood red, and choice of ten thousand

11His head is like rock of gold, his locks are straight and black as ravens

12His eyes are like those of doves by pools of waters that are washed in milk and sit with harmony

13His cheeks are as beds of sweet spices; his lips like the lilies that drip myrrh and spikenard

14His hands are like a fortress city of gold that is full of stones of gold; his belly the work of ivory on the blowing of sapphire

15His legs are pillars of marble which were set in order on sockets of gold; his chest is like Lebanon and choice as cedars

16His palate is like honeycombs that are sweet and his garments are desirable; this is my beloved and this is my intimate friend, daughters of Jerusalem!