< 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.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth — for thy love is better 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.
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the 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.
Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! sincerely do they love thee.
5 I am dark, but fair of form, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as 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 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 upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard 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 thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that veileth herself beside 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 know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.
9 I have made a comparison of you, O my love, to a horse in Pharaoh's carriages.
I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.
10 Your face is a delight with rings of hair, your neck with chains of jewels.
Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, thy neck with beads.
11 We will make you chains of gold with ornaments of silver.
We will make thee circlets of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king is seated at his table, my spices send out their perfume.
While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
13 As a bag of myrrh is my well-loved one to me, when he is at rest all night between my breasts.
My beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, that lieth betwixt my breasts.
14 My love is to me as a branch of the cypress-tree in the vine-gardens of En-gedi.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 See, you are fair, my love, you are fair; you have the eyes of a dove.
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves.
16 See, you are fair, my loved one, and a pleasure; our bed is green.
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant; also our couch is leafy.
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 panels are cypresses.