Canticle of Canticles 5

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride;	1 Bride: "May my beloved enter into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees."
2 I was sleeping, but my heart kept vigil;	2 Groom to Bride: "I have arrived in my garden, O my sister, my spouse. I have harvested my myrrh, with my aromatic oils. I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey. I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, O most beloved."
3 I have taken off my robe,	3 Bride: "I sleep, yet my heart watches. The voice of my beloved knocking:"
4 My lover put his hand through the opening;	4 Groom to Bride: "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my immaculate one. For my head is full of dew, and the locks of my hair are full of the drops of the night."
5 I rose to open to my lover,	5 Bride: "I have taken off my tunic; how shall I be clothed in it? I have washed my feet; how shall I spoil them?"
6 I opened to my lover-	6 "My beloved put his hand through the window, and my inner self was moved by his touch."
7 The watchmen came upon me	7 "I rose up in order to open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers were full of the finest myrrh."
8 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,	8 "I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved. But he had turned aside and had gone away. My soul melted when he spoke. I sought him, and did not find him. I called, and he did not answer me."
9 How does your lover differ from any other,	9 "The keepers who circulate through the city found me. They struck me, and wounded me. The keepers of the walls took my veil away from me."
10 My lover is radiant and ruddy;	10 "I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, announce to him that I languish through love."
11 His head is pure gold;	11 Chorus to Bride: "What kind of beloved is your beloved, O most beautiful among women? What kind of beloved is your beloved, so that you would bind us by oath?"
12 His eyes are like doves	12 Bride: "My beloved is white and ruddy, elect among thousands."
13 His cheeks are like beds of spice	13 "His head is like the finest gold. His locks are like the heights of palm trees, and as black as a raven."
14 His arms are rods of gold	14 "His eyes are like doves, which have been washed with milk over rivulets of waters, and which reside near plentiful streams."
15 His legs are columns of marble	15 "His cheeks are like a courtyard of aromatic plants, sown by perfumers. His lips are like lilies, dripping with the best myrrh."
16 His mouth is sweetness itself;	16 "His hands are smoothed gold, full of hyacinths. His abdomen is ivory, accented with sapphires."
	17 Chorus to Bride: "Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? To where has your beloved turned aside, so that we may seek him with you?"