New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love.
1
I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; to take my myrrh with my spice; my wax with my honey; my wine with my milk. Take meat, O friends; take wine, yes, be overcome with love.
2 I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
2
I am sleeping, but my heart is awake; it is the sound of my loved one at the door, saying, Be open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my very beautiful one; my head is wet with dew, and my hair with the drops of the night.
3 I have taken off my robe— must I put it on again? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?
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I have put off my coat; how may I put it on? My feet are washed; how may I make them unclean?
4 My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him.
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My loved one put his hand on the door, and my heart was moved for him.
5 I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.
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I got up to let my loved one in; and my hands were dropping with myrrh, and my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the lock of the door.
6 I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure.I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.
6
I made the door open to my loved one; but my loved one had taken himself away, and was gone, my soul was feeble when his back was turned on me; I went after him, but I did not come near him; I said his name, but he gave me no answer.
7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of the walls!
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The keepers who go about the town overtook me; they gave me blows and wounds; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
8 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you— if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.
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I say to you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you see my loved one, what will you say to him? That I am overcome with love.
9 How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us?
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What is your loved one more than another, O fairest among women? What is your loved one more than another, that you say this to us?
10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
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My loved one is white and red, the chief among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
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His head is as the most delicate gold; his hair is thick, and black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
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His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the water streams, washed with milk, and rightly placed.
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh.
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His face is as beds of spices, giving out perfumes of every sort; his lips like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold set with topaz. His body is like polished ivory decorated with lapis lazuli.
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His hands are as rings of gold ornamented with beryl-stones; his body is as a smooth plate of ivory covered with sapphires.
15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.
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His legs are as pillars of stone on a base of delicate gold; his looks are as Lebanon, beautiful as the cedar-tree.
16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
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His mouth is most sweet; yes, he is all beautiful. This is my loved one, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.