1 W here has your beloved gone, O you fairest among women? Where is your beloved hiding himself? For we would seek him with you.

Where has your beloved gone, you fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? Beloved

2 M y beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens and to gather lilies.

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

3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine! He feeds among the lilies.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He browses among the lilies,

4 Y ou are as beautiful as Tirzah, my love, and as comely as Jerusalem, as terrible as a bannered host!

You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

5 T urn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me! Your hair is like a flock of goats trailing down from Mount Gilead.

Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

6 Y our teeth are like a flock of ewes coming from their washing, of which all are in pairs, and not one of them is missing.

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing; of which every one has twins; no one is bereaved among them.

7 Y our cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.

Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

8 T here are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number;

There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

9 B ut my dove, my undefiled and perfect one, stands alone; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her and called her blessed and happy, yes, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

10 W ho is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, clear and pure as the sun, and terrible as a bannered host?

Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

11 I went down into the nut orchard to look at the green plants of the valley, to see whether the grapevine had budded and the pomegranates were in flower.

I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

12 B efore I was aware, my desire had brought me into the area of the princes of my people.

Without realizing it, my desire set me with my royal people’s chariots. Friends

13 R eturn, return, O Shulammite; return, return, that we may look upon you! What is there for you to see in the Shulammite? As upon a dance before two armies or a dance of Mahanaim.

Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?