I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
Parallel translations
- WEB I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”
- KJV I 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.
- NKJV I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.”
- NASB ¶“I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the dew drops of the night.’
- NLT I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling: “Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Half-asleep, she hears her beloved knocking and calling to be let in. It begins a scene of missed opportunity and longing.
Overview
Drowsy yet attentive in heart, she hears him knock, calling her his dove and undefiled, his head wet with night dew. The tender appeal sets up the testing of her response. Believers have heard here an echo of the Lord standing and knocking, calling His people to open to Him without delay (Rev. 3:20).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 36
- Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
- Song 2:14O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your countenance is lovely.
- Zech 4:1Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.
- Song 6:9but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.
- Ps 119:1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Song 5:11His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven.
- Prov 23:26My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
- Song 4:9You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your neck.
- Ps 24:7–10Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may enter!
- Matt 8:17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
- Song 2:10My beloved calls to me, “Arise, my darling. Come away with me, my beautiful one.
- Song 8:7Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.
- Isa 52:14Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness—
- Song 7:9and your mouth like the finest wine. May it flow smoothly to my beloved, gliding gently over lips and teeth.
- Isa 53:3–5He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
- Ps 81:10I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.
- Song 3:1On my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him.
- Isa 50:6I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.
- Gen 31:40–41As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
- Gen 29:20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
- Song 4:7You are altogether beautiful, my darling; in you there is no flaw.
- Song 2:8Listen! My beloved approaches. Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.
- Matt 25:4–5But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
- John 10:4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
- Gal 2:20I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
- 2 Cor 5:14–15For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- Dan 8:18While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, helped me to my feet,
- Eph 5:14So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- Luke 9:32Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him.
- Matt 26:40–41Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
- Luke 6:12In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.
- Mark 1:35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.
- Rev 14:4These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
- Rev 3:4But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
- Luke 22:44And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
- Matt 25:35–45For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The poetry of covenant love between bride and bridegroom pictures, at its highest, the love of Christ for his church — the Bridegroom who gave himself for his bride.
How Song of Songs 5:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.