Song of Solomon 1
1 This is Solomon’s Song of Songs.
The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your love is better than wine.
3 The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.
Because of the smell of your good ointments your name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love you.
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry! May the king bring me to his chambers. We will rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. It is only right that they adore you.
Draw me, we will run after you: the king has brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in you, we will remember your love more than wine: the upright love you.
5 I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
I am black, but comely, O you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare because I am dark, for the sun has gazed upon me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have neglected.
Look not on me, because I am black, because the sun has looked on me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Tell me, O one I love, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest them at midday? Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions?
Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?
8 If you do not know, O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.
If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed your kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
I have compared you, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
Your cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, your neck with chains of gold.
11 We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with beads of silver.
We will make you borders of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved to me; he shall lie all night between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-gedi.
My beloved is to me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
15 How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves.
Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair; you have doves’ eyes.
16 How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.
Behold, you are fair, my beloved, yes, pleasant: also our bed is green.
17 The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are fragrant firs.
The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
