1 The Beloved »I came to my garden, my sister, my spouse. I gathered my myrrh with my spice. I ate my honeycomb with my honey and drank my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; drink, yes, drink abundantly, O beloved.«

2 The Shulamite »I sleep, but my heart is awake. It is the voice of my beloved that knocks, saying: ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.’«

3 »I have removed my coat. How shall I put it on? I have washed my feet. How shall I defile them?

4 »My beloved extended his hand through the latch opening of the door. My heart yearned for him.

5 »I rose up to open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh. My fingers were sweet from sweet smelling myrrh and they grasped the lock handles.

6 »I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. My heart jumped when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

7 »The watchmen that went about the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil from me.

8 »I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him, that I am lovesick.«

9 Daughters of Jerusalem »Is your beloved more than another beloved, O you fairest among women? Is your beloved more than another beloved that you so charge us?«

10 The Shulamite »My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief among ten thousand.

11 »His head is as the finest gold. His locks are like date clusters, bushy and black as a raven.

12 »His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

13 »His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers. His lips are like lilies, dripping sweet smelling myrrh.

14 »His hands are as gold rings set with beryl. His belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

15 »His legs are like pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16 »His mouth is very sweet: yes, he is altogether handsome. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.«