The Bride and Her Beloved

1Let my kinsman come down into his garden, and eat the fruit of his choice berries. I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; yea, brethren, drink abundantly.

2I sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, saying, Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

3I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

4My kinsman put forth his hand by the hole of the door, and my belly moved for him.

5I rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

6I opened to my kinsman; my kinsman was gone: my soul failed at his speech: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he answered me not.

7The watchman that go their rounds in the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

8I have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and the virtues of the field: if ye should find my kinsman, what are ye to say to him? That I am wounded with love.

9What is thy kinsman more than another kinsman, O thou beautiful among women? what is thy kinsman more than another kinsman, that thou hast so charged us?

10My kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.

11His head is as very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.

12His eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.

13His cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.

14His hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.

15His legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.

16His throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.