[1] He Speaks: My bride, my very own, I come to my garden and enjoy its spices. I eat my honeycomb and honey; I drink my wine and milk. Their Friends Speak: Eat and drink until you are drunk with love. [2] She Speaks: I was asleep, but dreaming: The one I love was at the door, knocking and saying, "My darling, my very own, my flawless dove, open the door for me! My head is drenched with evening dew." [3] But I had already undressed and bathed my feet. Should I dress again and get my feet dirty? [4] Then my darling's hand reached to open the latch, and my heart stood still. [5] When I rose to open the door, my hands and my fingers dripped with perfume. [6] My heart stood still while he spoke to me, but when I opened the door, my darling had disappeared. I searched and shouted, but I could not find him- there was no answer. [7] Then I was found by the guards patrolling the town and guarding the wall. They beat me up and stripped off my robe. [8] Young women of Jerusalem, if you find the one I love, please say to him, "She is weak with desire." [9] Their Friends Speak: Most beautiful of women, why is the one you love more special than others? Why do you ask us to tell him how you feel? [10] She Speaks: He is handsome and healthy, the most outstanding among ten thousand. [11] His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy, black as a raven. [12] His eyes are a pair of doves bathing in a stream flowing with milk. [13] His face is a garden of sweet-smelling spices; his lips are lilies dripping with perfume. [14] His arms are branches of gold covered with jewels; his body is ivory decorated with sapphires. [15] His legs are columns of marble on feet of gold. He stands there majestic like Mount Lebanon and its choice cedar trees. [16] His kisses are sweet. I desire him so much! Young women of Jerusalem, he is my lover and friend.
