Song of Solomon 5

The bridegroom enters his garden. The bride hesitates to open the door to her beloved, and when she rises he is gone. She searches for him through the city and the watchmen strike and wound her. The daughters of Jerusalem ask what makes her beloved special, and she describes him in lavish detail — his head like fine gold, his eyes like doves, his mouth most sweet — declaring he is altogether lovely.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.	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. Eat, O friends! Drink — drink deeply, O beloved.
2	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 sleep, but my heart is awake. It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled one, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night."
3	I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?	I have taken off my robe — how shall I put it on again? I have washed my feet — how shall I soil them?
4	My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.	My beloved put his hand through the opening of the door, and my heart yearned for him.
5	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 rose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh — my fingers with liquid myrrh — on the handles of the lock.
6	I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.	I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My soul failed when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7	The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.	The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil from me.
8	I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.	I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem — if you find my beloved, tell him that I am sick with love.
9	What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?	What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another, that you so charge us?
10	My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.	My beloved is radiant and ruddy, the chief among ten thousand.
11	His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.	His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy and black as a raven.
12	His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.	His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, washed with milk, set like jewels.
13	His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.	His cheeks are like a bed of spices, like banks of fragrant herbs. His lips are like lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.
14	His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.	His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like polished ivory overlaid with sapphires.
15	His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.	His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16	His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.	His mouth is most sweet; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.