1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride.

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;

I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;

I have drunk my wine with my milk.

Eat, friends!

Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.

2 I was asleep, but my heart was awake.

It is the voice of my beloved who knocks:

"Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled;

for my head is filled with dew,

and my hair with the dampness of the night."

3 I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on?

I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?

4 My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening.

My heart pounded for him.

5 I rose up to open for my beloved.

My hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened to my beloved;

but my beloved left, and had gone away.

My heart went out when he spoke.

I looked for him, but I didn’t find him.

I called him, but he didn’t answer.

7 The watchmen who go about the city found me.

They beat me.

They bruised me.

The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.

8 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,

If you find my beloved,

that you tell him that I am faint with love.

9 How is your beloved better than another beloved,

you fairest among women?

How is your beloved better than another beloved,

that you do so adjure us?

10 My beloved is white and ruddy.

The best among ten thousand.

11 His head is like the purest gold.

His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks,

washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes.

His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

14 His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl.

His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness;

yes, he is altogether lovely.

This is my beloved, and this is my friend,

daughters of Jerusalem.

1 Ek het in my tuin gekom, my susterbruid, ek het my mirre met my balsem gepluk, ek het geëet van my heuningkoek met my heuning, ek het gedrink my wyn met my melk; eet, vriende, drink en word dronk, bemindes.

2 Ek het geslaap, maar my hart het gewaak. Hoor, my beminde klop: Maak vir my oop, my suster, my vriendin, my duif, my volmaakte! Want my hoof is vol dou, my haarlokke vol nagdruppels.

3 Ek het my kleed uitgetrek, hoe kan ek dit weer aantrek? Ek het my voete gewas, hoe kan ek dit weer vuil maak?

4 My beminde het sy hand deur die deuropening gesteek; toe het my binneste oor hom in beroering gekom;

5 ek het opgestaan om vir my beminde oop te maak, terwyl my hande drup van mirre en my vingers van vloeiende mirre op die handvatsels van die grendel.

6 Ek het vir my beminde oopgemaak, maar my beminde het weggedraai, verbygegaan; ek het my besinning verloor toe hy gespreek het; ek het na hom gesoek, maar hom nie gevind nie; ek het na hom geroep, maar hy het my nie geantwoord nie.

7 Die wagte wat in die stad rondgaan, het my aangetref; hulle het my geslaan, my gewond; die wagte by die mure het my mantel van my afgeneem.

8 Ek besweer julle, dogters van Jerusalem, as julle my beminde vind, wat sal julle hom vertel? Dat ek krank is van liefde.

9 Wat is u beminde meer as 'n ander beminde, o skoonste onder die vroue -- wat is u beminde meer as 'n ander beminde, dat u ons so besweer het?

10 My beminde is skitterend wit en rooi, uitnemender as tien duisend.

11 Sy hoof is goud, suiwer goud; sy haarlokke is golwende, swart soos 'n raaf,

12 sy oë soos duiwe by waterstrome, in melk gewas, sittend by 'n volle bron.

13 Sy wange is soos balsembeddings, terrasbeddings van geurige plante; sy lippe is lelies wat van vloeiende mirre drup.

14 Sy hande is ronde stawe van goud, ingevul met chrisoliet, sy liggaam 'n kunswerk van ivoor, bedek met saffierstene.

15 Sy bene is marmerpilare wat rus op voetstukke van fyn goud; sy gestalte is soos die L¡banon, uitgesoek soos die seders.

16 Sy verhemelte is pure soetigheid, ja, hy is geheel en al die lieflikheid self. Dit is my beminde en dit is my vriend, dogters van Jerusalem.