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.
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.”
- BSB 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.”
- 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 any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
- Song 2:14O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
- Zech 4:1And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
- Song 6:9My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
- Ps 119:1Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
- Song 5:11His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
- Prov 23:26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
- Song 4:9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
- Ps 24:7–10Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
- Matt 8:17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
- Song 2:10My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
- Song 8:7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
- Isa 52:14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
- Song 7:9And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
- Isa 53:3–5He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
- Ps 81:10I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
- Song 3:1By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
- Isa 50:6I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- Gen 31:40–41Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
- Gen 29:20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
- Song 4:7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
- Song 2:8The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
- Matt 25:4–5But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
- John 10:4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
- Gal 2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
- 2 Cor 5:14–15For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
- Dan 8:18Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
- Eph 5:14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
- Luke 9:32But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
- Matt 26:40–41And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
- Luke 6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
- Mark 1:35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
- Rev 14:4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
- Rev 3:4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
- Luke 22:44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
- Matt 25:35–45For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
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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
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