She

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister, my darling,
    my dove,(A) my flawless(B) one.(C)
My head is drenched with dew,
    my hair with the dampness of the night.”
I have taken off my robe—
    must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet—
    must I soil them again?
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
    my heart began to pound for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
    and my hands dripped with myrrh,(D)
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
    on the handles of the bolt.
I opened for my beloved,(E)
    but my beloved had left; he was gone.(F)
    My heart sank at his departure.[a]
I looked(G) for him but did not find him.
    I called him but he did not answer.

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or heart had gone out to him when he spoke

I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, 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.

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

My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

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The Shulamite’s Troubled Evening

The Shulamite

I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
(A)He knocks, saying,
“Open for me, my sister, [a]my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My [b]locks with the drops of the night.”

I have taken off my robe;
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet;
How can I [c]defile them?
My beloved put his hand
By the [d]latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
I arose to open for my beloved,
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
My fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the lock.

I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My [e]heart leaped up when he spoke.
(B)I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 5:2 my companion, friend
  2. Song of Solomon 5:2 curls or hair
  3. Song of Solomon 5:3 dirty
  4. Song of Solomon 5:4 opening
  5. Song of Solomon 5:6 Lit. soul