Song of Songs 5

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RBT Paraphrase

Praying in the Garden

1 I have come in to the garden of myself, sister of myself, a perfect one/bride! I have gathered the myrrh of myself, a people within the name of myself, I have eaten of the forest of myself, a people of the honey of myself, I drank the wine of myself, a people of the milk of myself! Evil ones have eaten, they drank, and beloved ones have become drunk!

I stand at the door and knock

2 Myself, she has slept! And the heart of myself is awake! the voice of the beloved of myself is he who knocks! Open to myself, sister of myself, companion of myself, dove of myself! Perfect one of myself, who is the head of myself filled of the night-dew!¹ The clipped locks² of myself with the drops of night!

How How?

3 I have stripped off the self eternal one-piece tunic of myself, how-how³ can I put her on? I have bathed the self eternal feet of myself, how-how can I defile themselves?4 The beloved one of myself has sent the hand of himself from out of the Hole, and the bowels of myself have clamored noisily against himself!5 I, myself rose up to open to the beloved of myself, and the dual-hands of myself dripped with bitterness,⁴ even the fingers of myself with bitterness. He crossed over upon the hollows of the Bolt-Lock.6 I, myself opened to the beloved one of myself, and the beloved one of myself curved around, he crossed over! The Soul/Breath of myself, she went out within the word of himself! I sought after himself but I have not found himself. I summoned himself but he has not eyed myself!
7 The Watchmen have found myself, those who revolve around within the City They struck myself, they split myself they lifted the self eternal head-covering from upon myself those who guard the Protective-Walls.

This is what you say to him

8 I have sevened your eternal selves⁵ daughters of Foundation of Peace, if you find the self eternal beloved one of myself, what you are announcing to himself is that she who is worn sick of love is Me!
9 How is the beloved one of yourself from a beloved one, the Beautiful One within women, How is the beloved one of yourself from a beloved one, of whom you have sevened ourselves?10 The beloved of myself is bright radiant, and red, he who is distinguished from a multitude.11 The head of himself is like a carved out fine gold, His clipped locks are heap-heaps of blackened ones like the Raven.12 The eyes of himself are like the doves upon channels of dual water those who bathe within milk those who sit upon a fullness.
13 The jawbone of himself like a garden bed of the Spice, towers of perfumes the lips of himself are lilies, those who drip with myrrh, he crossed over.14 The hands of himself a revolving of gold, from those who fill within the Gem the bowels of himself sleek tooth/ivory inlaid sapphires.

A Tree Desirable to the Sight

15 The legs of himself are pillars of marble, those who are founded upon pedestals of fine gold The appearance of himself like White Mountain ("Lebanon"),he who is selected like the Cedars.

16 The roof of his mouth is of sweet ones, and all of himself, desirable ones this one is the beloved one of myself and this one is the companion/friend of myself daughters of Foundation of Peace!

RBT Hebrew Literal

1 I have come in to my garden my sister complete one/bride/daughter-in-law I have plucked my myrrh/schoolmasters together with/a people my spice/in my name I ate my forest together with/a people my honey I drank my wine together with/a people my milk they ate evil ones they drank and they became drunk beloved ones
2 myself she has slept and the heart of myself awake voice beloved of myself he who knocks open! to myself my sister my companion my dove my perfect one/I have finished which is my head he was filled up dew my thorns drops her night
3 I have stripped off את-self eternal undergarment of myself how-how I am putting her on I have washed את-self eternal the foot of myself how-how defile them
4 beloved of myself he has sent hand of himself from out of the Hole and the inner bowels of myself they clamored upon himself
5 I stood up myself to open to the beloved of myself and the dual-hands of myself they dripped myrrh and my finger myrrh crossed over upon/against/yoke palms the Bolt-Lock
6 I opened myself to the beloved of myself and the beloved of myself he curved around crossed over the breath/soul of myself she went out within the word of himself I sought after himself and not I found himself I summoned himself and not clouds/eyed myself
7 they have found me the Watchmen those who revolve around within the City they struck myself they split myself they lifted את-self eternal head-covering/shawl from upon myself those who guard the Protective-Walls
8 I have sevened your eternal selves daughters/built-ones Foundation of Peace if you are finding את-self eternal beloved of myself what/why you all are exposing/telling to himself that she who is worn sick love myself
9 what/why beloved one of yourself from a beloved one the Beautiful one within women what/why beloved one of yourself from a beloved one in which manner you have sevened ourselves
10 beloved of myself bright radiant and red he who is distinguished from a multitude
11 the head of himself like carved out fine gold his clipped locks heap-heaps blackened ones like the Raven
12 his eyes like doves upon/against/yoke channels dual water those who bathed within milk those who sit upon/against/yoke a fullness
13 his jawbone/cheek like a garden bed the Spice towers perfumes the lips of himself lilies she who drips myrrh crossed over
14 the hands of himself a revolving gold from those who fill within the Gem his bowels sleek tooth/ivory inlaid sapphires
15 the legs of himself pillars Six those who are founded upon/against/yoke inner master of myself/pedastals fine gold the appearance of himself like White Mountain he who is chosen as the Cedars
16 the roof of his mouth sweet ones and all of himself desirable ones this one beloved of myself and this one the one who shepherds me daughters/built-ones Foundation of Peace

AI Commentary

The passage presents a highly complex tapestry of self-referential mysticism, replete with a series of paradoxes, symbols, and metaphors that invite multiple layers of interpretation. At its core, the text meditates on the idea of the self as both the seeker and the sought—the garden being an allegorical space where inner reality and spiritual identity intertwine.

Enigmatic Self-Reference and Duality

A striking feature is the repeated invocation of “myself” as both subject and object. This reflexive pronoun disrupts the conventional subject–object dichotomy, suggesting that the self is at once the initiator and the receiver of spiritual transformation. The “sister of myself” and “companion of myself” evoke notions of duality and wholeness, hinting at an inner dialogue where all aspects of being—masculine, feminine, animate, and inanimate—are integrated in the pursuit of a divine union.

Symbolic Imagery and Metaphors

The Garden

The garden functions as a liminal space—both a place of growth and introspection. It is where the self encounters its innermost depths, a sacred ground in which transformation occurs. The garden also recalls biblical imagery, evoking notions of Eden, purity, and the loss and rediscovery of innocence.

Alchemical Substances

Elements such as “myrrh,” “honey,” “wine,” and “milk” are laden with symbolic weight. These substances, historically associated with ritual, sacrifice, and fertility, suggest a process of inner alchemy. Consuming the “forest of myself” or drinking the “wine of myself” may imply that nourishment and transformation are derived from an internal, mystical source.

The Beloved and the Divine

The “beloved one of myself” is rendered in rich, even sensual imagery: eyes like doves on “channels of dual water,” a jawbone like a garden bed of spice, and limbs described as pillars of marble and gold. Such imagery elevates the beloved to a divine status—a perfect form or idealized expression of beauty and transcendence. This personification of the beloved reflects the mystical tradition’s tendency to use erotic and poetic language to describe the ineffable experience of divine love.

Enigmatic Transformations and Rituals

The text’s narrative is punctuated by ritualistic and almost liturgical language—“I stand at the door and knock,” “I have stripped off the self eternal one-piece tunic,” and “I have bathed the self eternal feet.” These rituals, while seemingly mundane in their physicality, are imbued with metaphorical significance, representing the stripping away of superficial identity to reveal a more profound, eternal self. The act of knocking, in particular, symbolizes an invitation or an opening to an inner realm that remains partially obscured, a mystery that continuously eludes full comprehension.

The Role of the Watchmen and Protective Structures

The Watchmen are not merely external observers but internalized agents of control or repression. They symbolize the structures—whether societal, psychological, or spiritual—that inhibit the unimpeded expression and realization of a deep, transformative love.

Hindrances to the Fulfillment of Love

The text employs the motif of the Watchmen to contrast the liberating, self-unifying rituals and imagery with elements that arrest or obstruct this inner metamorphosis. The Watchmen, by their very presence, function as gatekeepers to the inner sanctum of the self, vigilantly guarding against the dissolution of established boundaries. Their actions—striking, splitting, and unseating the “self eternal head-covering”—serve as metaphors for the forces that disrupt the natural flow of love and self-realization.

Symbolic Opposition

In the narrative’s allegorical framework, love is presented as both an internal consummation and an ecstatic union with the divine. The obstacles imposed by the Watchmen thus reflect the perennial struggle between the free, unmediated experience of divine love and the imposed limitations of external conformity and internalized self-critique. Their interference can be seen as the manifestation of doubt, fear, or societal injunctions that prevent the full expression of the self’s intrinsic, sacred nature.

Interpretative Implications

Interpreting the Watchmen as those hindering the fulfillment of love enriches our understanding of the text’s broader mystical and symbolic landscape. It suggests that the journey toward self-realization is fraught with challenges, where the path to union with the beloved—a symbol of divine perfection—is obstructed by internal and external barriers. Overcoming these obstacles becomes essential to attaining a state where love can be fully actualized and celebrated in its most transcendent form.

In this light, the Watchmen do not merely represent opposition; they also highlight the necessity of a conscious, deliberate act of opening oneself to love. Their presence calls attention to the importance of dismantling the barriers—both within and without—that prevent the consummation of spiritual and emotional wholeness.

Conclusion

In sum, the passage is a rich, symbolic exploration of the self as a dynamic and multifaceted entity. It challenges the reader to consider the boundaries between self and other, the material and the divine, and the finite and the infinite. Through a series of paradoxes and metaphorical rituals, the text offers a meditation on the journey toward self-realization, where every element—from the garden to the beloved—serves as a mirror reflecting the profound mystery of being.