Song of Solomon 1
1 The song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2 Let him give me the kisses of his mouth: for his love is better than wine.
Oh that he might kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for thy caresses are more pleasant than wine.
3 Sweet is the smell of your perfumes; your name is as perfume running out; so the young girls give you their love.
To the smell are thy fragrant oils pleasant, [like] precious oil poured forth is thy name [famous afar]: therefore do maidens love thee.
4 Take me to you, and we will go after you: the king has taken me into his house. We will be glad and full of joy in you, we will give more thought to your love than to wine: rightly are they your lovers.
Oh draw me, after thee will we run: the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will recall thy caresses, more [pleasant] than wine; without deceit [all] love thee.—
5 I am dark, but fair of form, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Black am I, yet comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Let not your eyes be turned on me, because I am dark, because I was looked on by the sun; my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vine-gardens; but my vine-garden I have not kept.
Look not so at me, because I am somewhat black, because the sun hath looked fiercely at me: my mother's children were angry with me; they appointed me to be keeper of the vineyards; but my vineyard, which is my own, have I not kept.—
7 Say, O love of my soul, where you give food to your flock, and where you make them take their rest in the heat of the day; why have I to be as one wandering by the flocks of your friends?
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest? where lettest thou thy flock rest at noon? for why should I appear like a veiled mourner by the flocks of thy companions?—
8 If you have not knowledge, O most beautiful among women, go on your way in the footsteps of the flock, and give your young goats food by the tents of the keepers.
If thou knowest this not, O thou fairest of women, go but forth in the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids around the shepherds' dwellings.—
9 I have made a comparison of you, O my love, to a horse in Pharaoh's carriages.
Unto the horse in Pharaoh's chariot do I compare thee, my beloved.
10 Your face is a delight with rings of hair, your neck with chains of jewels.
Comely are thy cheeks between strings [of pearls], thy neck with rows [of jewels].
11 We will make you chains of gold with ornaments of silver.
Chains of gold will we make for thee with studs of silver.—
12 While the king is seated at his table, my spices send out their perfume.
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth its [pleasant] smell.
13 As a bag of myrrh is my well-loved one to me, when he is at rest all night between my breasts.
A bundle of myrrh is my friend unto me, that resteth on my bosom.
14 My love is to me as a branch of the cypress-tree in the vine-gardens of En-gedi.
A copher-cluster is my friend unto me in the vineyards of 'En-gedi.—
15 See, you are fair, my love, you are fair; you have the eyes of a dove.
Lo, thou art beautiful, my beloved: lo, thou art beautiful: thy eyes are those of a dove.—
16 See, you are fair, my loved one, and a pleasure; our bed is green.
Lo, thou art beautiful, my friend, also pleasant: also our couch is [made in the] green [wood].
17 Cedar-trees are the pillars of our house; and our boards are made of fir-trees.
The beams of our houses are cedars and our wainscoting of cypress-trees.
