Chapter XV: Section III: Chapters III. 6.–v. 1

The royal tent in the country is broken up, and the royal train comes up to Jerusalem. Some of the inhabitants of the capital, as they behold it at a distance, hold a dialogue respecting it (6–11). The shepherd, coming up to rescue his loved one, obtains an interview with her, and expresses his delight in her charms (ch. iv. 1–5). The Shulamite moved, modestly interrupts his description, and tells him that she is ready to escape with him that very evening (6). He immediately proffers his assistance, declaring that her charms had inspired him with courage sufficient for the occasion (7–9); he describes her charms (10, 11) and her faithfulness (12–16). The Shulamite declares that all she possesses shall be his (16). Some of the court ladies sympathize with them (ch. v. 1).

ONE OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM.

What is that coming up from the country,
As in columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh, with frankincense,
And all sorts of aromatics from the merchants?

ANOTHER.

Lo! it is the palanquin of Solomon,
Around it are threescore valiant men
From the valiant of Israel:
All skilled in the sword, expert in war,
Each with his sword girded on his thigh
Against the nightly marauders.

A THIRD.

A palanquin hath king Solomon made for himself,
Of the wood of Lebanon.
Its pillars he hath made of silver,
Its support of gold, its seat of purple,
Its interior tesselated most lovely
By the daughters of Jerusalem.

A FOURTH.

Come out, ye daughters of Zion,
And behold King Solomon;
The crown with which his mother crowned him
On the day of his espousals,
On the day of his gladness of heart.

THE SHEPHERD, ADVANCING TO THE SHULAMITE.

Chap. IV. Behold, thou art beautiful, my loved one,
Behold, thou art beautiful!
Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil;
Thy hair is like a flock of goats,
Springing down Mount Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep
Which come up from the washing-pool,
All of which are paired,
And not one among them is bereaved.
Like a braid of scarlet are thy lips,
And thy mouth is lovely:
Like a part of the pomegranate
Are thy cheeks behind thy veil;
Thy neck is like the tower of David,
Reared for the builder’s model:
A thousand shields are hung upon it,
All sorts of bucklers of the mighty.
Thy bosom like two young fawns,
Twins of a gazelle, feeding among lilies.

THE SHULAMITE.

When the day cools
And the shadows flee away,
I will go to the mount of myrrh,
To the hill of frankincense.

THE SHEPHERD.

Thou art all beautiful, my loved one,
And there is no blemish in thee.
With me, with me, my betrothed,
Thou shalt go from Lebanon;
Thou shalt go from the heights of Amana,
From the summit of Shenir and Hermon,
From the habitations of lions,
From the mountains of panthers.
Thou hast emboldened me,
My sister, my betrothed,
Thou hast emboldened me,
With one of thine eyes,
With one of the chains of thy neck.
How sweet is thy love, O my sister, my betrothed!
How sweet is thy love above wine!
And the fragrance of thy perfumes above all the spices!
Thy lips, O my betrothed, distil honey:
Honey and milk are under thy tongue,
And the odour of thy garments is as the smell of Lebanon.
A closed garden art thou, my sister, my betrothed,
A closed garden, a sealed fountain.
Thy shoots like a garden of pomegranates,
With precious fruits,
Cypresses and nards,
Nard and crocus,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all sorts of frankincense trees,
Myrrh and aloes;
With all kinds of excellent aromatics,
With a garden-fountain,
A well of living waters,
And streams flowing from Lebanon.
Arise, O north wind! and come, thou south!
Blow upon my garden,
That its perfumes may flow out!

THE SHULAMITE.

Let my beloved come into his garden
And eat its delicious fruits!

THE SHEPHERD.

Chap. V. I am coming into my garden, my sister, my betrothed:
I am gathering my myrrh with my spices,
I am eating my honeycomb with my honey,
I am drinking my wine with my milk.

SOME OF THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM.

Eat, O friends!
Drink, and drink abundantly, O beloved!