God’s Word Translation
Song of Songs 5:2
2I sleep, but my mind is awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking. Open to me, my true love, my sister, my dove, my perfect one. My head is wet with dew, my hair with the dewdrops of night.
Song of Songs 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night."
- New King James Version (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.”
Context of Song of Songs 5:2
1My bride, my sister, I will come to my garden. I will gather my myrrh with my spice. I will eat my honeycomb with my honey. I will drink my wine with my milk. Eat, my friends! Drink and become intoxicated with expressions of love! I sleep, but my mind is awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking. Open to me, my true love, my sister, my dove, my perfect one. My head is wet with dew, my hair with the dewdrops of night. 3I have taken off my clothes! Why should I put them on ⌞again⌟? I have washed my feet! Why should I get them dirty ⌞again⌟? 4My beloved put his hand through the keyhole. My heart throbbed for him.
Read all of Song of Songs 5Song of Songs 5:2 word by word
אֲנִ֥י יְשֵׁנָ֖ה וְלִבִּ֣י עֵ֑ר ק֣וֹל׀ דּוֹדִ֣י דוֹפֵ֗ק פִּתְחִי־לִ֞י אֲחֹתִ֤י רַעְיָתִי֙ יוֹנָתִ֣י תַמָּתִ֔י שֶׁרֹּאשִׁי֙ נִמְלָא־טָ֔ל קְוֻּצּוֹתַ֖י רְסִ֥יסֵי לָֽיְלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I sleepיָשֵׁןyâshên · sleepingH3463
- but my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- wakethעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- of my belovedדּוֹדdôd dôd · belovedH1730
- that knockethדָּפַקdâphaq · to beatH1849
- Openפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
- to me, my sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- my loveרַעְיָהra‛yâh · darlingH7474
- my doveיוֹנָהyônâh · doveH3123
- my undefiledתָּםtâm · completeH8535
- for my headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- is filledמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- with dewטַלţal · dewH2919
- my locksקְוֻצּוֹתqevûtstsâh · lockH6977
- with the dropsרָסִיסrâsîys · dropH7447
- of the nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
Commentaries on Song of Songs 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2I sleep, but my heart waketh - This is a new part; and some suppose that the fifth day's solemnity begins here. Though I sleep, yet so impressed is may heart with the excellences of my beloved, that my imagination presents him to me in the most pleasing dreams throughout the night. I doubt whether the whole, from this verse to the end of the seventh, be not a dream: several parts of it bear this resemblance; and I confess there are some parts of it, such…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-8Verses 2-8 Churches and believers, by carelessness and security, provoke Christ to withdraw. We ought to notice our spiritual slumbers and distempers. Christ knocks to awaken us, knocks by his word and Spirit, knocks by afflictions and by our consciences; thus, Rev. 3:20. When we are unmindful of Christ, still he thinks of us. Christ's love to us should engage ours to him, even in the most self-denying instances; and we only can be gainers by it. Careless…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2I sleep, but my heart is awake: This describes a dream well; she was asleep, but her emotions and mind were active. My beloved is knocking: “Open to me": In the ancient Near East, opening doors symbolized sexual activity (see also Song of Solomon 8:9). The man knocking and asking to enter suggests he seeks a sexual union. He waits for permission and does not assume.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Sudden change of scene from evening to midnight, from a betrothal feast to cold repulse. He has gone from the feast alone; night is come; He knocks at the door of His espoused; she hears, but in sloth does not shake off half-conscious drowsiness; namely, the disciples' torpor (Mt 26:40-43), "the spirit willing, the flesh weak" (compare Ro 7:18-25; Ga 5:16, 17, 24). Not total sleep. The lamp was burning beside the slumbering wise virgin, but wanted…Read the comment
- Rashi on Tanakh · v. 2I sleep When I was confident and tranquil in the First Temple, I despaired of worshipping the Holy One, blessed be He, as one who sleeps and slumbers.Read the comment
Topics related to Song of Songs 5:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Song of Songs 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries