The Beloved Sought by Night
Song of Songs 5
The bride tells of a night when her beloved came to her door but was gone by the time she rose to open it, and how she searched the city for him and was struck by the watchmen. She then describes his appearance in detail, feature by feature, to the daughters of Jerusalem.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonI HAVE come to my garden, my sister spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices: I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; drink—yes drink plentifully O brethren.
BrentonLet my kinsman come down into his garden, and eat the fruit of his choice berries. I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; yea, brethren, drink abundantly.
GreekΚαταβήτω ἀδελφιδός μου εἰς κῆπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ φαγέτω καρπὸν ἀκροδρύων αὐτοῦ· εἰσῆλθον εἰς κῆπόν μου ἀδελφή μου νύμφη· ἐτρύγησα σμύρναν μου μετὰ ἀρωμάτων μου, ἔφαγον ἄρτον μου μετὰ μέλιτός μου, ἔπιον οἶνόν μου μετὰ γάλακτός μου· φάγετε πλήσιοι καὶ πίετε, καὶ μεθύσθητε ἀδελφοί.
KJVI 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.
JPSI am 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, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
2
ThomsonI sleep; but my heart is awake. The voice of my dear brother! he knocketh at the door! “Open to me, my sister, my dove, my consecrated one! for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.”
BrentonI sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, saying, Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
GreekἘγὼ καθεύδω, καὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἀγρυπνεῖ. φωνὴ ἀδελφιδοῦ μου κρούει ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν, ἀνοιξόν μοι ἡ πλησίον μου, ἄδελφή μου, περιστερά μου, τελεία μου· ὅτι ἡ κεφαλή μου ἐπλήσθη δρόσου, καὶ οἱ βόστρυχοί μου ψεκάδων νυκτός.
KJVI 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.
JPSI sleep, but my heart waketh; Hark! my beloved knocketh: ‘Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; For my head is filled with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.’
3
ThomsonI have put off my garment; how can I put it on? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?
BrentonI have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
GreekἘξεδυσάμην τὸν χιτῶνά μου, πῶς ἐνδύοσμαι αὐτόν; ἐνιψάμην τοὺς πόδας μου, πῶς μολυνῶ αὐτούς;
KJVI have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
JPSI have put off my coat; How shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; How shall I defile them?
4
ThomsonMy dear brother withdrew his hand from the hole in the door. Whereupon my bowels yearned for him.
BrentonMy kinsman put forth his hand by the hole of the door, and my belly was moved for him.
GreekἈδελφιδός μου ἀπέστειλε χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀπῆς, καὶ ἡ κοιλία μου ἐθροήθη ἐπʼ αὐτόν.
KJVMy beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
JPSMy beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, And my heart was moved for him.
5
ThomsonI rose to open for my dear brother; my hands dropped myrrh; and my fingers myrrh plenteously on the handles of the bar.
BrentonI rose up to open to my kinsman; my hands dropped myrrh, my fingers choice myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
GreekἈνέστην ἐγὼ ἀνοῖξαι τῷ ἀδελφιδῷ μου, χεῖρές μου ἔσταξαν σμύρναν, δάκτυλοί μου σμύρναν πλήρη ἐπὶ χεῖρας τοῦ κλείθρου.
KJVI 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.
JPSI rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dropped with myrrh, And my fingers with flowing myrrh, Upon the handles of the bar.
6
ThomsonI opened for my dear brother. He was gone! my soul melted for the speech of him. I sought him but did not find him: I called him but he made me no answer.
BrentonI opened to my kinsman; my kinsman was gone: my soul failed at his speech: I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he answered me not.
GreekἬνοιξα ἐγὼ τῷ ἀδελφιδῷ μου· ἀδελφιδός μου παρῆλθε· ψυχή μου ἐξῆλθεν ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ· ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτὸν, ἐκάλεσα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου.
KJVI 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.
JPSI opened to my beloved; But my beloved had turned away, and was gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7
ThomsonThey who go the rounds in the city met me. They smote me—they wounded me. The keepers of the walls took my veil from me.
BrentonThe watchmen that go their rounds in the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
GreekΕὕροσάν με οἱ φύλακες οἱ κυκλοῦντες ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἐπάταξάν με, ἐτραυμάτισάν με· ᾖραν τὸ θέριστρόν μου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ φύλακες τῶν τειχέων.
KJVThe 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.
JPSThe watchmen that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.
8
ThomsonI adjured you, O daughters of Jerusalem by the powers and virtues of the field. If you found my dear brother—What should you tell him? Tell him that I am sick of love.
BrentonI have charged you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and the virtues of the field: if ye should find my kinsman, what are ye to say to him? That I am wounded with love.
GreekὭρκισα ὑμᾶς θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσι καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσι τοῦ ἀγροῦ· ἐὰν εὕρητε τὸν ἀδελφιδόν μου, τί ἀπαγγείλητε αὐτῷ; ὅτι τετρωμένη ἀγάπης ἐγώ εἰμι.
KJVI charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
JPS’I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That I am love-sick.’
9
Thomson“What? Is thy dear brother more than another brother, O fairest of women? What is thy dear brother more than another brother, that thou hast thus adjured us?”
BrentonWhat is thy kinsman more than another kinsman, O thou beautiful among women? what is thy kinsman more than another kinsman, that thou hast so charged us?
GreekΤί ἀδελφιδός σου ἀπὸ ἀδελφιδοῦ, ἡ καλὴ ἐν γυναιξί; τί ἀδελφιδός σου ἀπὸ ἀδελφιδοῦ, ὅτι οὕτως ὥρκισας ἡμᾶς;
KJVWhat 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?
JPS’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 adjure us?’
10
Thomson—
BrentonMy kinsman is white and ruddy, chosen out from myriads.
GreekἈδελφιδός μου λευκὸς καὶ πυῤῥὸς, ἐκλελοχισμένος ἀπὸ μυριάδων.
KJV—
JPS—
11
ThomsonHis head is gold of Kephas; his flowing locks black as a raven.
BrentonHis head is as very fine gold, his locks are flowing, black as a raven.
GreekΚεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ χρυσίον κεφὰζ, βόστρυχοι αὐτοῦ ἐλάται, μέλανες ὡς κόραξ.
KJVHis head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
JPSHis head is as the most fine gold, His locks are curled, And black as a raven.
12
ThomsonHis eyes are like doves by streams of water—milk white doves sitting by streams.
BrentonHis eyes are as doves, by the pools of waters, washed with milk, sitting by the pools.
GreekὈφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς περιστεραὶ ἐπὶ πληρώματα ὑδάτων, λελουσμέναι ἐν γάλακτι, καθήμεναι ἐπὶ πληρώματα.
KJVHis eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
JPSHis eyes are like doves Beside the water-brooks; Washed with milk, And fitly set.
13
ThomsonHis cheeks are like beds of spices emitting perfumes; his lips are lillies distilling myrrh plenteously.
BrentonHis cheeks are as bowls of spices pouring forth perfumes: his lips are lilies, dropping choice myrrh.
GreekΣιαγόνες αὐτοῦ ὡς φιάλαι τοῦ ἀρώματος φύουσαι μυρεψικά· χείλη αὐτοῦ κρίνα στάζοντα σμύρναν πλήρη.
KJVHis cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
JPSHis cheeks are as a bed of spices, As banks of sweet herbs; His lips are as lilies, Dropping with flowing myrrh.
14
ThomsonHis hands are of gold, finely turned, beset with chrysolites: his body, an ivory cabinet on a sapphire stone:
BrentonHis hands are as turned gold set with beryl: his belly is an ivory tablet on a sapphire stone.
GreekΧεῖρες αὐτοῦ τορευταὶ χρυσαῖ πεπληρωμέναι Θαρσίς· κοιλία αὐτοῦ πυξίον ἐλεφάντινον ἐπὶ λίθου σαπφείρου.
KJVHis hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
JPSHis hands are as rods of gold Set with beryl; His body is as polished ivory Overlaid with sapphires.
15
Thomsonhis legs, pillars of marble fixed on pedestals of gold: his countenance like Lebanon, majestic as the cedars:
BrentonHis legs are marble pillars set on golden sockets: his form is as Libanus, choice as the cedars.
GreekΚνῆμαι αὐτοῦ στύλοι μαρμάρινοι τεθεμελιωμένοι ἐπὶ βάσεις χρυσᾶς· εἶδος αὐτοῦ ὡς Λίβανος, ἐκλεκτὸς ὡς κέδροι.
KJVHis legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
JPSHis legs are as pillars of marble, Set upon sockets of fine gold; His aspect is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars.
16
Thomsonhis mouth is sweetness itself. He is altogether lovely. Such is my dear brother, and such my love, O daughters of Jerusalem.
BrentonHis throat is most sweet, and altogether desirable. This is my kinsman, and this is my companion, O daughters of Jerusalem.
GreekΦάρυγξ αὐτοῦ γλυκασμοὶ καὶ ὅλος ἐπιθυμία· οὗτος ἀδελφιδός μου καὶ οὗτος πλησίον μου, θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλήμ.
KJVHis mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
JPSHis mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.’