The Maidens to The Beloved:
5:9 Why is your beloved better than others, 1
O most beautiful of women?
Why is your beloved better than others,
that you would command us in this manner?
The Beloved to the Maidens:
5:10 My beloved 2 is dazzling 3 and ruddy; 4
he stands out 5 in comparison to 6 all other men. 7
5:11 His head is like the most pure gold. 8
His hair is curly 9 – black like a raven.
5:12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water,
washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
5:13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees 10 yielding 11 perfume.
His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.
5:14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite.
His abdomen 12 is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires.
5:15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.
5:16 His mouth is very sweet; 13
he is totally desirable. 14
This is my beloved!
This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!