Song of Solomon 1
1 This is Solomon’s Song of Songs.
The Song of Songs, which is by Solomon.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.
[[M.]] O that he would kiss me with one of the kisses of his mouth! For thy 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 savor of thy precious perfumes, (Thy name is like fragrant oil poured forth, ) Therefore do the virgins love thee.
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 after thee; let us run! The king hath led me to his chambers! We will be glad and rejoice in thee; We will praise thy love more than wine. Justly do they love thee!
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 ye 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.
Gaze not upon me because I am black, Because the sun hath looked upon me! My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me keeper of the vineyards; My vineyard, my own, 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, thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest thy flock, Where thou leadest it to rest at noon; For why should I be like a veiled one by the flocks of thy 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.
[[Lad.]] If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents!
9 I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.
[[Lov.]] To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh Do I compare thee, my love!
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
Comely are thy cheeks with rows of jewels, Thy neck with strings of pearls.
11 We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with beads of silver.
Golden chains will we make for thee, With studs of silver.
12 While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.
[[M.]] While the king reclineth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.
A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me; He shall abide 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 a cluster of henna-flowers From the gardens of Engedi.
15 How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how very beautiful! Your eyes are like doves.
[[Lov.]] Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair! Thine eyes are doves.
16 How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how delightful! The soft grass is our bed.
[[M.]] Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely; And green is our bed.
17 The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are fragrant firs.
The cedars are the beams of our house, And its roof the cypresses.
