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In praise of her

[Man]

Look at you—so beautiful, my dearest!
Look at you—so beautiful! Your eyes are doves
        behind the veil of your hair!
Your hair is like a flock of goats
        as they stream down Mount Gilead.
Your teeth are like newly shorn ewes
        as they come up from the washing pool—
        all of them perfectly matched,
        not one of them lacks its twin.
Like a crimson ribbon are your lips;
        when you smile, it is lovely.
Like a slice of pomegranate is the curve of your face
        behind the veil of your hair.
Like David’s tower is your neck,
        splendidly built!
A thousand shields are hung upon it—
        all the weapons of the warriors.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
        twins of a gazelle doe,
        that graze among the lilies.
Before the day breeze blows
        and the shadows flee,
        I will be off to the mountain of myrrh,
        to the hill of frankincense.
You are utterly beautiful, my dearest;
        there’s not a single flaw in you.

Garden of delight

[Man]

Come down with me from Lebanon, my bride—
        if only you would come down with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the peak of Amana,
        from the peaks of Senir and Hermon,
        from the lions’ dens,
        from the mountain lairs of leopards.
You have captured my heart, my sister,[a] my bride!
        You have captured my heart with one glance from your eyes,
        with one strand of your necklace.
10 How beautiful is your loving, my sister, my bride!
        Your loving is so much better than wine,
        and your fragrance better than any perfume!
11 Sweetness drops from your lips, my bride;
        honey and milk are under your tongue,
and the fragrance of your garments
        is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 An enclosed garden is my sister, my bride;
        an enclosed pool, a sealed spring.
13 Your limbs are an orchard of pomegranates
        with all kinds of luscious fruit,
            henna, and spices:
14             nard and saffron,
            sweet cane and cinnamon,
        with all scented woods,
            myrrh, and aloes,
        with the very choicest perfumes!
15 You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water,
        streams from Lebanon.
16 Stir, north wind, and come, south wind!
        Blow upon my garden;
        let its perfumes flow!

[Woman]

Let my love come to his garden;
        let him eat its luscious fruit!

Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 4:9 Sister here and below is a common term in ancient love poetry; it doesn't imply blood relation.

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