New Living Translation NLT
Hebrew Names Version HNV
1 I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Young Women of Jerusalem Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love!
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. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. Beloved
2 I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling: “Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
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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, My hair with the dampness of the night.
3 But I responded, “I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?”
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I have taken off my robe. Indeed, must I put it on? I have washed my feet. Indeed, must I soil them?
4 My lover tried to unlatch the door, and my heart thrilled within me.
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My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.
5 I jumped up to open the door for my love, and my hands dripped with perfume. My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh as I pulled back the bolt.
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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 lover, but he was gone! My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply.
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I opened to my beloved; But my beloved left; 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 night watchmen found me as they made their rounds. They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls.
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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 Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem— If you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love.
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I adjure you, daughters of Yerushalayim, If you find my beloved, That you tell him that I am faint with love. Friends
9 Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this?
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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? Beloved
10 My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!
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My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.
11 His head is finest gold, his wavy hair is black as a raven.
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His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes sparkle like doves beside springs of water; they are set like jewels washed in milk.
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His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, Washed with milk, mounted like jewels.
13 His cheeks are like gardens of spices giving off fragrance. His lips are like lilies, perfumed with myrrh.
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His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are like rounded bars of gold, set with beryl. His body is like bright ivory, glowing with lapis lazuli.
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His hands are like rings of gold set with bareket. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
15 His legs are like marble pillars set in sockets of finest gold. His posture is stately, like the noble cedars of Lebanon.
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His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Levanon, excellent as the cedars.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is desirable in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend.
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His mouth is sweetness; Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, Daughters of Yerushalayim. Friends
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.