Song of Solomon 6

1Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.

2My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

3I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.

4Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

5Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.footnote a

6Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.

7As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.

8There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

9My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

10Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

11I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

12Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.footnote bfootnote c

13Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.footnote d

Together in the Garden

The Friends

1Where has your beloved gone,O most beautiful among women?Which way has he turned?We will seek him with you.

The Bride

2My beloved has gone down to his garden,to the beds of spices,to pasture his flock in the gardensand to gather lilies. 3I belong to my beloved and he belongs to me;he pastures his flock among the lilies.

The Bridegroom

4You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah,as lovely as Jerusalem,as majestic as troops with banners. 5Turn your eyes away from me,for they have overcome me.Your hair is like a flock of goatsstreaming down from Gilead. 6Your teeth are like a flock of sheepcoming up from the washing;each has its twin,and not one of them is lost. 7Your brow behind your veilis like a slice of pomegranate.

8There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,and maidens without number, 9but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,the favorite of the mother who bore her.The maidens see her and call her blessed;the queens and concubines sing her praises.

The Friends

10Who is this who shines like the dawn,as fair as the moon,as bright as the sun,as majestic as the stars in procession?

The Bridegroom

11I went down to the walnut groveto see the blossoms of the valley,to see if the vines were buddingor the pomegranates were in bloom. 12Before I realized it, my desire had set meamong the royal chariots of my people.footnote a

The Friends

13Come back, come back, O Shulammite!Come back, come back, that we may gaze upon you.The BridegroomWhy do you look at the Shulammite,as on the dance of Mahanaimfootnote b?