Song of Solomon 5:1
What does Song of Solomon 5:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Song of Solomon 5:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Song of Solomon 5:1 means
The Beloved announces that he has entered “his garden,” an intimate image for enjoying union with his “sister” and “bride.” The luxuriant list—myrrh, spice, honeycomb, honey, wine, milk—speaks of fullness, sweetness, and satisfaction. Nothing is meager or grudging here; love is abundant and celebrated. Then a surprising invitation goes out to “friends” and “beloved ones” to eat and drink freely. Marital joy, while private in its intimacy, is not shameful or hidden in its goodness; the community is invited to rejoice in the blessing. The language piles image upon image to communicate consummation, delight, and the rich, rightful enjoyment of love within covenant bonds.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000I 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611I 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901I 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; to take my myrrh with my spice; my wax with my honey; my wine with my milk. Take meat, O friends; take wine, yes, be overcome with love.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862I have come in to my garden, my sister-spouse, I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, drink, Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ones!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical spices: I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890I 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, beloved ones!
Context
This verse answers the invitation at the end of the previous scene where the bride urged the Beloved to come into his garden. It presents a moment of consummated joy and shared celebration. The communal call to “friends” acts like a chorus, affirming the goodness of their love. Immediately after this peak, the tone will shift dramatically. The bride will recount a nocturnal episode—likely a dream—in which opportunity is missed, the Beloved withdraws, and longing replaces feasting, setting the stage for a search through the city.
v.1This passage
v.2I was asleep, but my heart waked: 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, My locks with the drops of the night.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:8
for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
- Luke 15:9
And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.
- Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
- 2 Chronicles 31:6
And the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated unto Jehovah their God, and laid them by heaps.
- Isaiah 65:13
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be put to shame;
- Luke 15:6
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
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